Shattered
by aliasmel1
Summary: After the war, Hermione and Severus are both tormented, shattered and broken. Both are hiding their pain and torment from the world. Shadows of their former selves can two broken halves make a less painful whole?
1. Chapter 1

The full moons silvery light shone and shimmered like glitter above her, casting out eerie shadows all around. She sat on the shore of the Great Lake, the sound of silence was almost deafening to her. Knee's tucked up to her chest hugging them as if her life depended on the comfort she was giving herself. A tear rolled down her soft white skin followed in hot pursuit by another and another before a river of tears and heavy sobs followed.

Hermione Granger was in her last year at Hogwarts, opting to come back after the war. She had no one, her family now located in Australia had not even a whisper of an idea about her and her best friends, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley stopped returning her letters and stopped visiting her, it was almost as if they had erased her from their lives without even a backwards glance. Out of sight, out of mine, she guessed.

Never had she felt so alone and isolated and it broke her heart. She needed someone to talk to so badly, to talk of the war, the stress and the nightmares that overcome her every night, she needed someone who could relate to her and all of the horrors she had to endure, the terrible things she had seen and the even more terrible things she had partaken in.

The torture she endured and the pain she had felt during the time that she had pushed down deep within her was now beginning to rear its ugly head. She was strong, but this was slowly breaking her down, grinding her down into nothing but a shell of the otherwise outgoing, intelligent and empathetic woman she knew she was meant to be. She hated the fact she was no longer the same person she used to be, she was changing- for the worst, and she hated it.

She had taken to sitting by the great lake at night; diary and quill in hand to write down her troubles, worries and fears. She figured if she could at least release some of what was inside of her and get it off her chest it might make her feel better; it didn't. If anything it made resent herself and the situation she was in even more, but nonetheless, she kept pushing and writing. Each entry dated, the pages tear-stained and ink runs adorned the pages along with her deepest, darkest fears and regrets.

The diary now sitting next to her as she sobbed heavily, something she did every night, it had become a ritual to her. Write in the diary, fill herself with self-loathing and hate and then cry until the sun began to creep over the horizon, put on a smile and begin the day like nothing had happened.

Minerva had suggested she get help, seek a councillor but she was too proud for help. She was Hermione Granger, people looked up to her for her role in the war, what would they think if they found out she was so broken and so lonely that she had to seek help. She wanted to appear strong; she did appear strong, all the while dying more and more inside.

She didn't want sympathy, she just wanted a friend, someone to talk to and connect with. She knew a councillor would have no idea what she felt and what she was going through.

The sound of a twig snapping to her far left roused her from her thoughts, footsteps began to grow closer. Her sobs stopped instantly as she strained her hearing trying to work out who, or what was coming. Biting her bottom lip nervously the footsteps grew closer, she stopped breathing in a hope they wouldn't see her there.

She could see someone in the shadowy moonlight getting closer to her, they walked at a fast past, they hadn't seen her yet and she hoped it would stay that way as she tried to press herself into an even smaller ball to go undetected; it didn't work. He stopped ten meters out from her his eyes meeting her own. His face contorting into a sneer. He walked closer, she knew it was him, she saw it was Professor Snape. His robes trailing behind him as he walked the last few meters to her, standing over her he looked down.

"Please tell me, Miss Granger, why are you out of bed?" His arms folded tightly across his chest, waiting for her to explain. Ever since she had fought in the war, her attitude was deplorable. She thought she could push boundaries and get away with what she liked. She thought she was above the rules and that they didn't apply to her. She was sorely mistaken.

She looked up at him, tears glinting when the moonlight hit them. It was at the moment he realized she had been crying and maybe, for just one fleeting moment he felt some compassion towards the girl. His harsh gaze left and he knelt next to her.

He wasn't really the type to comfort anyone, it was foreign to him and Merlin knew since the war since he almost died he was even harder and sarcastic than he had ever been. His tongue even sharper and more hurtful than before, but something stirred deep down in him when he saw the crying girl.

She wiped the tears away with the palms of her hands and tried to put on her strong façade but he couldn't be fooled, he had already seen her in her moment of weakness.

"Are you ok Miss Granger?" He looked at her cocking his head to the side.  
"I'm fine." She forced a smile.  
"I think you are lying, Miss Granger. Sitting here at midnight on your own crying does not constitute as being fine in my book."  
"Honestly I am fine. Just… I don't know. It doesn't matter. I just couldn't sleep." She finished with a shrug.

A single brow raised made her believe that deep down; he didn't believe her for even one second.

"Do you always sit here and sob when you cannot sleep?" His long hair falling in his face.  
The truth was, he was out here because he couldn't sleep either, and his mind was running ten miles a minute. On the outside he was coping but deep, deep down he felt hopeless, he felt broken and most of all, he felt confused. The war had left him with deep scars both mentally and physically. He had almost died but she had saved him, he owed his life to her. But he had a deep-seated hate not for her, but for what she had done, for saving him. He had so much pain and anger that most days he wished himself dead so he didn't have to carry on with the hurt and pain and the guilt of all the innocent blood he had spilt. All of the innocent people who lost their lives at his hand directly and indirectly.

"I suggest you get back to your dorm." He pulled himself up to full height brushing off his robes. She obliged, getting to her feet he watched as she walked away, becoming nothing more than a distant shadow.

He went to move away when he saw something on the ground that caught his eye. A leather-bound book and a simple feathered quill sat where she had just moments ago.

Reaching down he grabbed the cold leather of the book and looked it over Emblazed on the cover was her name in gilded gold, 'Hermione Granger.'

He opened the book to have a look. He realized it must be her diary or a journal by the date on the page. The page was tear stained and smudged, he flicked through the first few pages and saw they were all like that.

He flipped back to the front page; in large letters, she has scribbled

 _I hate my life_

He tilted his head to the side his interest had piqued. He had always thought of the girl as happy and well adjusted with good friends. How could she possibly hate her life?

 _I hate myself_

He read the next line. Perhaps she and he had more in common than he first thought.

 _I have no friends_

You and me both, he thought to himself.  
He snapped the book shut with a soft thud. He didn't want to keep reading. It was obviously very private to her and he shouldn't pry. He was quite surprised the girl had written such negative things about herself. Maybe, just maybe, he would go a little easier on her from now on.

He pocketed the book and the quill and left for the castle. He would try to get some sleep. Even dreamless sleep potions were having less and less effect on him as she became more and more dependent on them to get him through the night. He was tired and he was bitter, he had no friends, he hated himself and he hated his life. Perhaps he and Hermione weren't so different after all.

A/N: I just had to write this. I feel after the war not everything would be rainbows and unicorns and they would have PTSD. I hope you like this chapter.

Thank you

Aliasmel1


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione Granger tossed and turned and tried to let sleep lull her into its clutches, but it was futile. She was never going to get to sleep despite every fiber of her being wanted nothing more than for her to shut her eyes and get some rest. She was weary and she wasn't sure how a person could function on the small catnaps she managed every now and then.

She sighed haughtily as she watched the orange glow of the morning sun begin to pop over the horizon the orange rays touching everything she could see. Resigning to the fact she was never going to get to sleep, not when morning was just around the corner, she decided to start her day.

The dorm was empty; she was the only Seventh year Gryffindor girl who had come back to Hogwarts to finish their education. The truth was, she came back because she had no one and she had nothing. She wanted an extra year to sort her life out before being thrust into the big, cold, wide world to fend for her self. She liked being here; she liked the warm feeling the castle afforded her and the feeling of belonging within its walls. It felt like home to her.

Every second of every day she felt as if anxiety was stabbing her in the chest and pushing the air out of her lungs. She felt as if she was always sinking and drowning but she pushed on. She couldn't let everyone know she was suffering. She was Hermione Granger, the strong and the brave. She was one-third of the infamous Golden Trio. She was meant to be best friends to the prodigal child.

Stretching in her bed, her spine popped back into place with a soft click as she threw her legs over the side of the bed and got up, ready to start the day as she always did, with a smile on her face and dread in her soul.

o-o-o-o

Severus Snape eyed the little black book Hermione had left behind. It sat on his coffee table turned whiskey table, who was he kidding, it had never held a cup of coffee in the entire time it had graced his chambers. He knew he shouldn't delve deeper into the book but deep down something piqued his interest and he wanted to know more about the in's and out's of her brilliant mind. He eyed is suspiciously like it was about to burst into flames and it was her intent all along to leave it down there so he would bring it back with him and set the place alight as a practical joke.

He couldn't help but remember back when he had found her, she looked so… sad and a shadow of the former girl he had once had the pleasure (as much as he hated to admit it) to teach.

Picking up a tumbler of whiskey from the table he stared at the amber liquid intently as he swirled it around and around in the glass, watching the small vortex appear in the middle of the glass. He wished he could have shrunk himself, jumped into it and let the power of the tiny vortex pull him under and drown him in its tantalizing clutches.

This would have to be his last glass for the morning. It was already nearing five a.m and he had classes to teach in a few hours. Where he would have to sober up, pull himself together, throw a sneer on his face and front the world until he could slink back into his chambers, pop the stopper of his Ogden's finest and drink again till the sun reared its head once more.

Severus wouldn't say he was an alcoholic… He would just say he used the liquid as a coping mechanism to get him through the days and to deal with the stupidity of the students he had the displeasure of being saddled with.

He couldn't remember the last time he got any sleep, well, any decent sleep that spanned more than the forty minutes his body usually allowed him. He didn't honestly think a person could survive on such little sleep as he did, but to his disappointment, he hadn't keeled over and died just yet. Hopefully soon.

Ok, so maybe he had turned to alcoholism to get him through the days and the nights. But when it was the only thing that could keep a person going, would it be wrong to deny yourself the pleasure of a little warm, delicious liquid to cloud your judgment and rest your mind for a while?

The dreamless sleep potions didn't work anymore, he had taken so many of them he had built an immunity to them, even at the strongest doses that he could brew they would be lucky to make him the slightest bit drowsy.

He had no one to talk to, he had no friends, not since Lucius Malfoy was dragged off to Azkaban, and whilst Narcissa had asked him over on occasion, he didn't feel comfortable spilling his guts to the witch for fear of retribution should he let the wrong thing slip. He knew she was more than annoyed that Lucius was carted off to Azakaban and he got off scot-free to live his life as a free man.

Not that he was a free man, he was a slave to his own fucking emotions and weaknesses and a slave to the whiskey that kept him sane and stopped him from aiming his wand at every student that walks through his doors and shooting off the killing curse.

He sighed; resigned to the fate he would forevermore being existing and not living. Groaning slightly when he realized his first class of the day was Seventh Year potions with Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy. A small class, but a class that made him want to stab himself in the eyes with a potion stirrer.

Hermione Granger would take over, as usual, telling him how he was wrong and how her way was so much better, and he would let her because he couldn't be fucked chastising her anymore, or anyone for that fact. He couldn't care if every student ran through the castle blasting it to pieces, it would give him great pleasure to see it fall to the ground in ruins.

He picked up the diary and eyed it before slipping it into the pocket of his robes. He would give it back to her and he wouldn't read it… Not this time, anyway.

Bringing the tumbler of whiskey to his lips he drank the entire contents in one sip. Standing up, he caught his reflection in a mirror on the wall. He looked like fucking shit if he did say so himself. His hair looked like it hadn't been washed or brushed in a month, his skin sallow and sickly look, the bags under his eyes were dark. He looked older than he should have, he looked older than he was. He reeked of whiskey and his life was falling apart. All in all, he would say he was living the exact life he had thought he would map out for himself. A lonely alcoholic hermit who only ventured out to sneer at the world when he needed to, and that was fine by him, thank you very much.

 **A/N: sorry for so long between chapters. I really needed to be in a dark and miserable mood to channel the characters and get them out to their full potential.**

 **-aliamel1**


	3. Chapter 3

Severus Snape sensed Hermione Granger walk into his potions class first thing that morning. Her book bag slung over her shoulder and a smile on her face, she sat down at her desk. Pulling out what she would need for the lesson she folded her hands neatly in her lap and waited. She was early, again, to his disgust.

"Miss Granger," He bit darkly from his desk, leaning over a parchment, quill in hand, hair curtaining his face, he didn't even have to look up, he just felt her presence, and she ran like clockwork like she had for the past seven years. When you had a student as intelligent and as wise as Hermione Granger, your subconscious afforded them more attention than perhaps you wanted to, and it was that reason alone, he knew she was there.

"Yes, Sir?" She asked in an almost sing-song voice that made his toes curl in disgust.

"You are early, again."

"Is that a problem, Sir?" She smiled sweetly.

"Yes, it is. It means I must endure you for five minutes longer than I should need to." He looked up at her, his top lip curling.

"Sorry, Sir." She blushed, looking at the desk.

He stood and rounded on her, his shadow cast over her desk, slowly she looked up, and her cheeks flushed an even darker shade of crimson as dread washed over her. What did she do wrong now?

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the small, black diary that she had left behind down by the lake. Gently he placed in on the desk. "You left this by the lake last night, Miss Granger."

Her stomach sunk and a look of dread etched its way onto her face, and he could tell that she was mortified that he may have read it and he figured, he better put the little bitch out of her misery.

"It's ok, Miss Granger, I didn't read it."

"Thank you," her voice a ghostly whisper as she grabbed the book and shoved it into her bag.

"But next time you so carelessly leave things lying around, they might end up in the wrong hands."

She nodded her understanding but she couldn't help noticing the man reeked of alcohol so early in the morning. She crinkled her nose up in disgust just as she felt someone sit next to her.

"Mister Malfoy, how nice of you to join us," Snape drawled with pure sarcasm.

"Granger." He nodded curtly to her and she stiffened slightly. He had the whole room to sit in, and he had to sit right next to her. Sure, Draco Malfoy had been civil towards her, but she didn't have to like him. She didn't like him but for the sake of her peace, she didn't say anything. He would often sit next to her, or volunteer to be her partner in some activity within the school and Hermione knew that he just liked to see her squirm in his presence.

He thought that because his mother and father had donated millions of Galleons to the victims after the war, that it would right all the wrong and took away all of the pain, and all of the suffering and it would fix all of the horrible words and things they had said and done. They thought it would keep Lucius out of Azkaban and get Draco back into Hogwarts, only part of their plan worked.

And whilst it did get Draco back into Hogwarts and bought him some semblance of respect, she wanted no part of it. She still saw him for whom and what he was and no amount of niceties were going to change her perspective on him.

"Malfoy," She bit out through clenched teeth, annoyance tangled in her words.  
"Now, why we wait for Mister Longbottom, you two can get to work on a Dreamless Sleep Potion."

"But Sir, we aren't up to that chapter yet," Hermione almost whined.

"I am aware of that, Miss Granger, but I have decided to change the lesson plan in the interim, and your petulance isn't going to have any bearing on what I teach today."

If the stupid little cow was too inept to think on her own accord to brew herself a sleeping potion to help with her insomnia, perhaps, at least he could remind her in the most indirect way possible.

o-o-o-o

Hermione sat cross-legged by the Great Lake once again, the wind whipping her long hair around her face like an auburn hurricane, her curls tossing too and fro wildly. The cloak she pulled tightly around her kept the ice-cold wind at bay. She shivered against the cold night air that nipped harshly at her nose and cheeks, you could see her hot breath hitting the cold, night air. She watched the moon intently that sat high in the sky above her casting its luminous glow over everything it could touch.

She couldn't sleep again, but that was nothing new for her. She liked to come down here and lose herself in her thoughts. She listened to the sound of silence as her brain went into overdrive. Why did she have to feel like this? Why did she feel as if the entire weight of the world was on her shoulders? She didn't ask to partake in the war, she didn't ask for any part of this, yet, she felt as if every single death and every single drop of innocent blood that was spilled was her fault.

She didn't know how everyone else could lay their head on their pillow and drift off so soundly without a care in the entire world, as if no one had died and as if nothing had changed.

She also didn't understand how her friends could just abandon her as soon as it was all over. As soon as fame and fortune befell them, she didn't hear another word from them. She, on the other hand, wanted to keep a low profile and a quiet life, out of the spotlight and away from accolades. After all, why should she be celebrated as a hero when there were so many others worthy of the title.

The ones who fought and paid with their lives, for starters. The ones who lost children and lost parents. She wasn't worthy of the attention; she was just Hermione Granger the girl who happened to befriend Harry Potter and was thrown headfirst into the whole ordeal. If she had have mapped out a different path in her life, she wouldn't be Hermione Granger the heroine, she would have just been Hermione Granger, another girl at Hogwarts who did nothing amazing.

The sound of a twig snapping behind her roused her from her thoughts. Turning her head ever so slightly to look over her shoulder, she waited to see who it was. Her hand clutched her wand tight in her picket ready to fight should the need arise. She was so used to having to have to make a split second decision whether to fight or run that her hand was always trained on her wand when she was alone out here at night. Too many a time had she almost been ambushed by Death Eaters or snatchers to let her guard down and even now when she knew it was perfectly safe out here, she couldn't let her guard down, she couldn't relax. She always had the what if's running through her head making her uneasy and the feeling of uncertainty gnawed in the pit of her stomach.

"Miss Granger," the deep baritone of his voice hit her ears, sending a small chill down her spine and she stiffened a touch. For months she has been able to sit out here alone and never be disturbed, and now two nights running, he had made an appearance. She was sure it was deliberate.

"Yes, sir?" She asked, her back to him but she could sense he was standing over the top of her looking down, more than likely with his trademark sneer upon his lips.

"I better be off I guess," she began to rise to her feet when to her surprise, he sat down beside her.

"Stay, go, drown yourself in the lake, I don't care honestly. I've given up on caring."

"I've noticed. Everyone has noticed. Your apparent lack of snark and point dedications through the school hasn't gone unnoticed."

"Indeed. I'm so glad I can be the topic of conversation," he bit sarcastically at her.

"You're not going to throw me in detention or strip house points because I am out after hours?"

"What's the point? Doing so never stopped you doing anything in the previous years, so why should it stop you now? You are old enough to make your own decisions I am sure. What are you now? Seventeen?" His eyes trained on the lake as if he were willing a giant tidal wave to emerge and swallow him whole, never to be seen again.

"Nineteen," She bit out dryly.

"Nineteen. You are an adult, Miss Granger. You hardly need me policing your bedtime."

Silence engulfed them for what seemed like an eternity. Hermione felt slightly more awkward on the inside than she was showing on the outside.

She noted the man smelled like whiskey, again and wondered if perhaps he had been drinking recently, or if it was still lingering from earlier that morning.

"Shouldn't you be tucked up on your bed, catching up on the much-needed sleep I am sure you so desperately desire?" His voice a whisper, still willing that wave to end his misery.

"I can't sleep," she said simply, looking out at the lake as the water danced wildly in the wind.

"And you didn't think to use the dreamless sleep potion you concocted today?" he turned to her.

"I'm saving it for the weekend, so I don't have to get up the next morning."

"Wise."

The awkward silence shrouded them once again. She didn't know what to say to him, nor did he know what to say to her. Both just watched the small waves the wind made on the lake. He wanted to press her for more information about the small snippet her read in the diary, but he told her he didn't read any.

He did the only thing he thought he possibly could in this situation without making it any more awkward than it had to be, which wasn't much, but the sentiment was there and that was to offer an ear to listen.

Although he assumed she wouldn't even think about opening up to her Potions Master, not now, not ever. He wasn't the most pleasant person to be talking to.

"Are you okay, Miss Granger?"

"What do you mean? Do you mean mentally fine, or physically or is it a question you don't expect me to really answer?" She turned to him cocking her head to the side in interest.

"Mentally, are you mentally okay?"

"Are you saying I lack mental capacity and there is something wrong with me mentally."

He sighed, this was going to be harder than he thought it would.

"Are you ok, Miss Granger? Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, whatever. How are you? I'm here if you need to talk…" He trailed off.

"Are you ok?" She answered back.

Raising a brow and narrowing an eye, he wasn't sure what she was playing at asking him the same question he asked her.

"I asked you first," he bit.

She rubbed her palms wearily over her eyes before burying her head into them. She took a few slow breaths. Should she open up to him? He was her teacher but this was her burden to carry and no one else's. He didn't need to be saddled with such nonsense that she would lay on him and expect his help.

The smell of cigarette filled her nose and she ever so slightly turned her head to look at him, to see the lit tip burning brightly, the cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth.

"You smoke?" She asked with trepidation?

He drew back on it before exhaling the smoke, it blew away in an instant in the breeze.

"Obviously," His words slow and sarcastic, almost spelling out the word itself.

"Since when?" Her voice raised a few octaves, showing a little too much surprise.

"I find it relieves stress." He avoided her question.

"But why?"

"But why do you ask so many questions?" He drew back on the cigarette again, holding the smoke within his lungs for a few seconds before letting it go again.

"You know it's not healthy?" She almost protested.

He let out a small laugh.

"Miss Granger, that is the whole point. I can only hope it brings death to greet me earlier."

"That's a horrible thing to say," She whispered.

"I'm a horrible person."

"I don't think so," Her voice a ghostly whisper to his ears.

"You don't think students and ex-students wouldn't flock for miles to ensure I was dead and threw a celebration?" He drew back again.

She let out a small giggle. "Maybe Harry and Ron."

"Where are the Prodigy child and his shadow?" He tossed the butt on the ground and stomped it out with his boot.

"You know as much as I do on that subject." She shrugged.

He smirked. "The train of friendship has derailed, has it?"

"I guess you could say that." Tears pricked her eyes as she swallowed hard.

"It hardly surprises me. Weasley always struck me as the type to be living off of the coat tails of Potter and all that he could milk out of the situation."

"I wish someone had told Me."

"It was glaringly obvious Miss Granger. The blind man next door could have seen it."

"I suppose."

"So are you go to tell me if there is anything wrong?" He pressed.

She smiled. This conversation wasn't half as bad as she had thought it would be.

"Maybe, but not now. It's freezing. I'm going back to my dorm to sit in front of the fire."

"It's hardly cold, Miss Granger."

"Not to someone with an ice cold heart." She stood up, wrapping the cloak tight around herself and vanished into the distance.

She left Severus Snape behind wondering if that is how people perceived him? Cold hearted and cruel?

 **A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews and faves. My plan for this story was to be a slow burn into friendship and then into something more. They won't be jumping each other's bones anytime soon. The whole plot of this story is so they can heal one another mentally and emotionally. So if you are here smut early on, may I suggest one of my other works, "Good Luck, Lolita."**


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione stretched as the sun peeked over the horizon, bathing the world in a shimmering autumn glow. She had managed to catch a few catnaps throughout the night and she actually, for once, felt a little fresher than she usually did. Perhaps the talk she had with Professor Snape had helped lighten the load and helped the soul.

Slowly she got out of bed, her feet hitting the cold cobblestone below, drawing her feet back up as if she had been burned. She would have to remember to light the fire tonight because she could tell winter was coming. So was Christmas. She sighed haughtily placing her feet back on the ground and standing up.

Padding slowly over the window of her room she looked out across the lake, the sun bathing everything it could in its warm glow, with a new day came new hope, but maybe not for her.

She didn't know what she was doing for Christmas this year, with Harry and Ron not talking to her, and Ginny not really a friend if she were honest; she hardly thought she would be invited to the burrow. Sure, Mrs. Weasley may invite her over but should she accept? She knew the invitation would be born purely out of pity, and none for the desire of wanting her there and she didn't blame her, after all, she did say some not so nice things about Harry and Ron when she realized they had all but abandoned her.

Everyone had changed after the war, not just her or Harry and Ron. Everyone. The loss of Fred was hard on everyone. Especially Molly. She could only imagine the pain that she would be going through having the first Christmas without him. Having to remember him on such a day when family should be coming together but there was one less at the table. And George, poor George . Half of him died that day but he still tried to keep a tough exterior and pretended it didn't bother him, but she knew it did.

Nothing was the same anymore. She knew it would happen. No more sitting around at Christmas eating until she was about to burst and then being lulled to sleep by Christmas Carols by the warm, welcoming fire of the burrow, to wake up a few hours later and eat again.

She was more disappointed than upset. Disappointed that after everything she had been through with Harry and Ron, they both threw her away like a piece of garbage without a second thought. She thought she meant more to them than that. Hell, she was sure she and Ron were going to finish school, get married and eventually start a large family. She snorted. What a stupid sentiment that was.

She knew the war changed everyone but for them to just drop her faster than a lead weight off of the astronomy tower was incomprehensible. She loved them both dearly but they had both broken her heart equally.

She let out a small, strangled sob. She wasn't upset, or so she kept reminding herself. She just wished that things could go back to how they used to be. When they were carefree and younger when they would all pile under the invisibility cloak and wonder and the grounds of Hogwarts getting into all sort of mischief and fun.

Times had changed, she knew they would, but she didn't expect them to change this much.

She stretched her back gently, her feet freezing on the cold, stone floor, she could hear gentle noise coming from other dorms, knowing that everyone was slowly starting to stir and the day would begin soon.

-o-o-o-o-

Severus sneered into his early morning cup of coffee. It tasted so bland and he was sure it needed a bit of something to spice it so he could face those dunderheads again.

Reaching into his pocket he fished out a small, silver vial and uncorked it. Sniffing it to make sure it was the small tincture of Gin that he thought it was, he upended it into his coffee, swirling the white cup around and around in a circle in a bid to distribute the gin and coffee into even ratio's.

Throwing the vial on the lounge next to him, he sipped the coffee and smiled, that was much better. If only he could take every drink this way throughout the day, he thought to himself as his mind drifted to the night before with Hermione Granger. He scowled.

He didn't know exactly what to make of Hermione Granger anymore. He assumed she had some deep-seated issues that weren't going to easily come to the surface, but he was surprised to hear that her two best friends had just abandoned her. And if he remembered correctly, he had overheard her mention something once that her parents were no longer in the picture either. He pondered as he sipped his coffee, exactly who did Hermione Granger actually have to turn to? He assumed, by the small snippet of her diary he read, she had no one.

But why should he care? He didn't care, not one iota. Let the golden girl, the Gryffindor Princess, the heroine of the story look after herself. She didn't give a toss about him, so why should he show her even a speck of empathy?

He took another long sip from his mug; at least the alcohol numbed the pain and perked him up if just a miniscule amount. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, noting it was greasier than usual and maybe, perhaps, he should force himself to shower this morning.

Finishing his coffee he slammed the mug down on his coffee table to a little too much force. The sound of ceramic on wood lingered in the air loudly for a few seconds before he pulled himself to his feet.

He couldn't help but notice the thought of Hermione Granger had somewhat soured his mood even more than usual. He hated the little swot and she shouldn't be getting under his skin like she was. She meant nothing to him and he to her. And yet, he began to calculate and plan in his head whether he would be heading down to the lake again tonight to meet her, to talk, and heaven forbid to listen… To seem like he cared.

He couldn't deny he was intrigued by the last comment she had made to him, about having an ice-cold heart. He didn't feel he had an ice cold heart, although bitter and twisted he had some semblance of a heart buried deep within his chest cavity, deep beneath the rib cage, hiding, scared, was a heart, he just had no reason or anyone to show it to. Hiding behind the dark, scary façade was someone who wanted to love, and be loved in return, but no one would ever see it or ever know it.

-o-o-o-o-

"Minerva," He inclined his head towards the elder witch in a greeting as he took a seat on the opposite side of the desk to her. The office was still identical to when Albus was Head Master, save for a few different knick-knacks on the desk.

"What can I help you with, Severus?" She asked in her heavy Scottish brogue, reaching across the table, plucking a silver tin up in her long, slender fingers and opening it. Thrusting the tin towards him she offered a biscuit. "Biscuit?" She questioned.

He declined, so she shook the tin a touch, she wouldn't take no for an answer. When he again declined she shook the tin harder, almost as if it had done something to her and she was taking her frustrations out on it.

He sighed and plucked a ginger snap up in his fingers. Satisfied, she recoiled the tin and sat I next to her on the desk.

"I am worried about Miss Granger." He reclined back coolly in the chair, crossing his ankles while watching the woman intently.

"Miss Granger? What has she done?" Minerva was taken aback that anyone would be in her office talking to her about Hermione Granger, her best student.

"She hasn't done anything, Minerva. As her professor for so many years, I can tell when something is off with her, as with most of my students actually and there is something wrong with her."

"I didn't know you paid such close attention to the students, especially not Miss Granger. I was under the assumption you had a strong dislike for the girl."

"It's my job, I am paid take notice and I am paid to tolerate her… to a degree" his voice cold as he took a bite of the biscuits in his hand.

"And what do you suppose Miss Granger's mysterious illness is?" Tenting her fingers, wresting her wrists against the edge of her desk.

"I didn't say she was sick. I said something was off about her. She seems distant and upset."

"She seems fine to me," Minerva offered. "Always smiling."

"That's on the surface, Minerva. It's deeper than the surface, you have to dig if you can't see it so obvious as I, but it's there. She's not happy."

"She has assured me, she is fine, Severus." She waved a hand dismissively at him.

He growled low in his throat over the fact the woman wasn't taking his issue seriously and brushing him off.

"Talk to her, Minerva. Dig a little deeper. I think you will find her life isn't all unicorns and rainbows like she makes it out to be."

"If Hermione had a problem, I have full confidence she would have approached me by now, Severus." He sighed, resigning to the fact his plea was falling on deaf ears and Minerva wasn't going to see what he was seeing.

Silence engulfed them for what seemed like an eternity until Minerva spoke once more.

"How are you, Severus?" She smiled meekly at him.

"Fine," he snapped.

"No, you aren't."

"I am," words were spoken through tightly gritted teeth.

"We can talk about it if you like." She leaned across the table and gently patted his arm in a show of sympathy.

"You can tell there is something wrong with me, but you can't see anything is wrong with Grange?" He snorted.

"I told you, Severus. If there was something wrong with Hermione, she would come and see me." Folding arms across her chest in a manner of defiance.

"Forget I ever came to you," He hissed, getting to his feet. "And should anything happen to her, you only have yourself to blame because I brought forward my grievances and you dismissed them as nothing!" He exclaimed, storming from her office.

-o-o-o-o-

"Yes, Professor?" She stiffened slightly when she sensed someone standing behind her down by the lake. She knew it would only be one person because only one person knew she would be down there, and that person was Severus Snape.

She was reclining back by the lake, both hands behind her, propping her up, legs stretched out in front of her. Long auburn hair cascading almost to the ground like a waterfall, inclining her head back to look at him looking down at her dark eyes locked onto chocolate ones for a moment, each willing the other to break the gaze but neither wanted to. It was he who pulled from her demanding gaze after a few awkward seconds and he sat next to her on the ice-cold ground.

She was wrapped in a thicker cloak than the previous night, the bitter wind from the night before had gone, but the temperature was a few degrees cooler, especially by the lake. It wouldn't be long before the snow started to fall and she would have to find somewhere else to spend her nights and try to clear her head.

"Is everything ok, Miss Granger?" He asked her, tucking his knee's close to his chest trying to keep himself warm while looking over the darkened lake. The full moon of the previous night had shrunk significantly and didn't shine as bright.

"Are you here for a reason?" Her voice a low ghostly whisper, eyes closed, nose numb from the ice cold.

"As your professor, it is my duty to ensure you are fine, Miss Granger."

Eyes opened with a flutter as a small-undignified snort escaped from within her. "When have you ever cared about me? When have you ever cared about anyone?" Her head slightly turned to look at him quizzically for a minute, studying his face. He had aged considerably despite being in his thirties, his skin was sallow and the lines in his face deepened, tired eyes framed by large bags under his eyes. He looked tired and he looked as if he had the weight of the world solely on his shoulders.

"And actually," She began matter of factly, "Didn't you say ' drown yourself in the lake, I've given up on caring'" she said in a mock, high falsetto.

"I did. You are correct," he bit out.

"So what are your real motives? You don't care, and you wouldn't stop me walking out into the middle of the lake, taking a breath, throwing myself under the surface and never emerging again."

"I wouldn't go out into that putrid lake, anyway unless you wanted to kill yourself. The entire plumbing from the castle runs to the lake. Nothing like swimming in raw sewerage to get the blood pumping as you are dying from E-coli poisoning."

"Charming. Thank you for letting me know after I have spent countless summers swimming in it."

"And as for what my motives are, I have no motives, Miss Granger. I am but a simple professor ensuring his brightest student is fairing all right," he said simply, his black eyes darting to meet her eyes again for a few seconds, but it was her this time who broke the gaze.

"Interesting," her voice a low whisper as he mind ran a mile a minute. Sure, she had some issues, but she didn't just want to blurt them all out to him. To someone who, for years, treated her like she was nothing more than the dirt beneath their boots. Someone who taunted her and picked or her physical attributes when they themselves were nothing amazing to look at.

Basically, she didn't want to divulge her life's going on's to someone who she could not trust, nor did she feel was worthy of being trusted.

"Even if there was something wrong, what makes you think that I would tell you? You are a horrible person, with no redeeming qualities, who picked on me and my friends relentlessly for the past seven years, and now you have the hide to sit down here and try to pry my secrets from me," her voice raised a few shaky octaves and her heart pumped hard in her chest. She couldn't believe she was actually standing up for herself and telling him off.

He sneered at her harsh words as they cut him deep to the core. The little bitch sure did have a sharp tongue.

"And where are you so-called Friends now, Miss Granger?" He questioned hints of sarcasm laced in his tone.

"Why is it you sit out here alone every night in the bitter cold staring into nothingness? Tell me, Miss Granger, why you cry out here alone? Why you have your own little pity party? I can see the hurt in your eyes, Miss Granger, I can sense the change in you, I can see the way you have changed, I can see deeper than that false façade you plaster on your face every day, I can see past that, I can see deep down into your core and I know you are troubled, I know you are hurt and unhappy, you are just like me, Miss Granger. You hide the hurt, you let the pain and loneliness consume you until you can't hold it in anymore and you come down here to cry and let all of those feelings of hate and all of that hurt out, they run down your cheeks and onto the earth below, and for a few moments, you feel normal again, you feel like the Hermione Granger you know you are meant to be."

He pulled out a packet of cigarettes and placed one into his mouth, offering the packet to Hermione she cocked her head to the side almost as if contemplating taking one before waving her hand dismissively, declining.

"You can kill yourself, but I am not going to die of lung cancer," she huffed, watching as he lit the smoke with the tip of his wand.

He drew back on the smoke, holding it in his lungs for a few seconds before releasing it, the smoke drifting off into the night sky.

"One could only hope that death would knock on my door and escort me to the depths of hell where I have a place reserved for me, sooner rather than later."

"Heaven knows you deserve that spot in hell," She spat at him, pondering over his words. Was she that transparent? Or was he just better at seeing the pain within her than anyone else?

"Don't hold back, Miss Granger," he snapped back. "Now, do you want to talk, or do you not want to talk?"

"Like I said, why would I want to talk to you about my life? Especially with you."

"Because," he said simply drawing back on the cigarette, "there is no shame in sharing the burden with others." He released the smoke from his lungs.

She didn't like this, she didn't like that he could see so easily through her and she didn't like that the words he spoke were true.

"Maybe, but not tonight." She began to rise from the cold ground when a strong hand ceased her wrist and pulled her back to the ground. She let out a small mewl of protest.

"Why not tonight, Miss Granger? Where is it that you have to go that is so important? You come here to clear your mind and I offer to listen and you want to up and leave to head back to your dorm, lay there tossing and turning until the sun comes up, plastering that cheery façade on your face and start the day again." He threw his cigarette butt as close to the lake as he could, watching it float away in the water.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times, how did he know that is exactly what she did? How did he know so much about her when she knew so little about him?

"Legilimency , Miss Granger. You forget I am a skilled Legilimens."

"Stay out of my head, please," she snapped. "You have no right to be there."

"And yet, you didn't try to stop me?" He said simply. "Now, are you going to talk, or as you going to storm off again?"

"Storm off," She offered, getting to her feet once more, turning on her heel and leaving him to sit by the shore alone.

"Enjoy being alone, again," He yelled out after her, which only earned him an extension of her middle finger in the faint moonlight. And if he had have cared a little more, he may have just given the little bitch detention.

 **A/N: I hope you are all enjoying this story as much as I am. I am loving how the characters are developing.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	5. Chapter 5

"Miss Granger." Black inky eyes looking up at the pale, milky white skinned girl who stood before him, parchment clutched in her small, slender hand. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He questioned with a sneer, dropping his quill on his desk with an almost silent clatter.

"Nothing is wrong, Sir." Pink lips smiled sweetly at him as she dropped the rolled up parchment on his desk silently. "Just handing in my homework before class, Sir."

"It better not be a foot over length like last bloody time. I have better things to do with my life than read the ramblings of your mind on a subject I am more than well schooled in." Unrolling the parchment to peruse over it, he sighed haughtily. A fucking foot and a half over the allocated measurement, why did she have to fucking rub him the wrong fucking way all of the time.

"How many times have I asked you to keep your homework to the allotted length?" He snapped at her, coal black hair falling into his eyes, annoyance etched into his voice.

"Let's see, every school week for the past seven years. I will leave that to your great mind to work out how often that is." She smiled sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes a little too forcefully.

"And tell me, why do you continue to go against the grain and hand me oversized parchment week after bloody week?" The frustration was apparent as he slammed his fists hard on his desk, causing the brown-haired witch to jump backward in fright.

"Is it better to not write more than to not write enough?" She cocked her head to the side innocently.

He didn't even answer her, in one swift move her tore the extra length off the parchment, rolled it into a tight ball and threw it with force across the classroom; it landed with silence a few feet away from them.

Hermione's face fell, did he just destroy her homework!? Her mouth opened and closed a few times but only a small-strangled yelp managed to find its way out. She had nothing to say.

"You know what? I am not even going to read it. I am just going to mark it right here, right now."

He plucked his quill back up off the desk, dipping it into the blood-red ink and angrily penning a large 100/100 Across her parchment with such force, the tip of the quill almost tore the paper beneath it.

"You didn't even read it!" She protested with a stamp of her small, leather-clad foot, showing her frustrations. "And you destroyed half of it. That was my conclusion on the Sleep Potion we brewed last class," She said matter of factly, looking at him with disbelief in her eyes.

"I didn't have to read it, Miss Granger," He deadpanned, black eyes flicking to meet her brown ones filled with anger and frustrations over what he had just done.

"What's the point of reading the bloody thing? We all know it will be fucking perfect as always and I would waste my time reading it just to give you the coveted you so desperately seek to fill the empty void in your life that was left by your friends. To give you the perfect mark that you so desire to elevate you above your peers, and boost your already over-inflated ego." He sneered at her with ferocity. She looked almost offended.

"I'm so sorry my perfection to my work bothers you," She snapped hard at him.

"And I'm so sorry that I have no redeeming qualities what so ever. I'm so sorry that I am such a terrible person and I have done wretched things in my life. I am so sorry that Hermione fucking Granger doesn't want help when she is so clearly troubled. You are right, I have no redeeming qualities and I have done nary a fucking thing nice in my life, and you know what, I don't fucking care. Clearly all of the times I saved your fucking life and the life of your so-called friends who have all but upped and deserted you meant nothing."

His breath was hard and jagged as he stood up behind his desk, glowering over the top of Hermione. She could see his chest rising and falling in quick succession; she bit her bottom lip in worry. She had seen him pissed off before, but never to this extent.

She wrinkled her nose up at the smell of whiskey hot and heavy on his breath assaulted her senses, lingering with the smell of tobacco made her want to back away, but she stood her ground, jutting her chin out defiantly at him.

"Fifty fucking points from Gryffindor for being such a snarky, rude little bitch," He spat venomously at her.

A lump formed in her throat as if she were going to cry, but she wouldn't let tears spill from her eyes, she didn't care anymore. She didn't care if she back-talked to a teacher, she didn't care if she got kicked out of the bloody school. No longer was she the doormat she had always been, no longer was she the stickler for the rules, it was time for her to live her life how she wanted to, and not how others told her how to do it.

She was quite taken aback that he had sworn at her, never, in her years of knowing him had he ever slipped in any such words. Never. Not even the time Neville spilled an entire cauldron full of Confusing Concoction all over him and for the next half an hour of the class, he had no idea who he was, or why any of them where there.

"I guess the Snarky rudeness has rubbed off of you and onto me then." She folded her arms tight across her chest, pulling self up to full height. Eyes locked onto each other in a silent battle, each willing the other to look away so they could be the victor of the battle, but neither did. Both were too pig-headed and proud to look away. Both had to have the last say.

The tension was thick in the room and for one fleeting moment, Hermione thought she was in way deeper than she ought to be and was having regrets. How could she do this, how could she speak to a professor in the tone in which she had just spoken to him in? Even if she didn't agree with the things he had done and thought his moral compass had not only been broken but also stomped into a million pieces for all of the vile and depraved things he had done.

"Fifty points from Slytherin for being such an asshole," She snapped with defiance in her eyes. It was at that moment she saw something flicker deep within his eyes, something had emerged from the lowest depths of his soul, she wasn't sure what it was but something stirred within him and she wasn't sure if she should laugh or be very, very afraid. The look that crossed his eyes only for a few seconds but it was one she had never seen before. It was one that sent an icy chill up her spine and made her balk for just a moment.

He cocked his head to the side as if processing in his brain what she had just said to him. Did the wretched bitch dare backchat and give him such attitude? She was treading on the dangerous and unstable ground right now, one wrong move and it could all be over for her. She was walking a blurred path between teacher and student, and what was right and what was wrong. To show such disrespect for him in such the capacity in which she was doing was dangerous. He would never let anyone talk to him in such a way, not now, not ever, but there was something intriguing about the girl, something familiar in the way she acted. The way she pushed the boundaries, the way she kept everything hidden inside protected and locked up tight. She reminded him of him in more ways than one. She had piqued his interest somewhat and he wanted to see how this would all play out.

Right before his eyes, the little Gryffindor cub was shedding her baby fur and emerging into the ever-powerful lioness, the lioness that would stand her ground and protect all that mattered to her and take no shit from anyone or anything. The lioness who would rule her own world and do as she pleases.

"One hundred points from Gryffindor for such defiance and rudeness beyond measure," He snapped slamming the palms of his hands against the desk, the sound of flesh on wood reverberated in the thick air that shrouded them leaning across his desk towards her.

She mimicked him, slamming her own palms on the table albeit quieter than he had offered, leaning in their noses almost touching her face arranged into a look of pure disgust mixed with disbelief and she bit her tongue hard between her teeth so as to try to stop her mouth from blurting something out without first filtering it in her mind. Nostrils flared with anger for not only him but also herself for putting herself in this situation and losing points for her house.

"One Million points from Slytherin for having a pompous, condescending, vindictive head of house," She whispered, her hot breath hitting his face as he slowly closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of another so close to him.

The corners of his lips twitched into a smile as a deep laughed erupted from within him, still keeping their closeness.

"A million, really? He cocked a brow at her stupidity and petulance.

"Yes, A million."

"Well, aren't we lucky then that your point deductions count for nothing and mine actually do." His face contorted into an evil sneer, his ears picking up faint footsteps heading their way. He pulled himself up to full height, folded his arms across his chest just a Draco Malfoy sashayed into the room.

"We will finish this later, detention every night for the next week. That attitude and razor-sharp tongue need an adjustment and your blatant disregard for the rules honestly pain me, Miss Granger. Be here at eight tonight."

"Fine!" She bit as she turned on her heel walking to her desk and throwing herself into the chair with force, seething at what had just unfolded.

-o-o-o-o-

Severus sat in his small living room, ankles crossed and eyes closed, regretting his decision to give the little swot a detention because now it meant he had to spend even more time with the little Harlot.

He fished a small vial off of his coffee table, popped the cork and downed the small measure of vodka in one swift mouthful. He wondered if it would be socially acceptable to drink in front of a student because Merlin's hairy nutsack, he was going to need it if he had to put up with that bitch for much longer. Who did she think she was pushing the boundaries and standing up for herself?

He had turned to alcohol to help him through day-to-day life now for quite a while and he honestly didn't think he could face each day without some sort of liquor coursing through his veins and giving him some sanity to deal with everyone, but even the alcohol was having less effect when he had to deal with the little trollop that was Hermione Granger. She knew how to grind on his nerves and rub him the wrong way, he was sure that she had been practicing for years just to make his life a misery.

He was pretty sure with the amount of alcohol he was consuming, he no longer had blood in his veins, he had pure alcohol coursing through them and he was amazed he hadn't fucking burst into flames and burnt to death by now.

Casting an eye to the clock on the wall he stood up and stretched, the little bitch would be in for her detention any time soon and he should go see to her.

He was surprised to see her sitting on the edge of his desk in her uniform, legs swinging carelessly as she stared into space. Of course, she was five minutes early, she was always fucking early and it drove him mental. Why did she have to be such an overachiever? Why couldn't she just be… Normal?

"Miss Granger," His deep baritone drawled as he stepped into the room, she jumped slighting, pulled from her reverie as he strode purposefully into the room.

"Professor," she squeaked in surprise.

"Please vacate the edge of my desk, it is not for sitting on."  
"Right, yes, sorry." She slid off the edge silently waiting for instruction on what to do next.

"Please, go through the shelves at the back and re-organize them. Anything out of date or anything that doesn't look right, throw it in the bin. If you are unsure about anything, just ask, I will be here marking homework."

"Oh, I am glad other people get their homework marked correctly," She smiled with total sarcasm and hatred and she instantly saw his demeanor change.

He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. Forgot one bottle, he would need the whole fucking distillery to get through just this one night. Maybe he should take to brewing alcohol instead of potions; the good Lord knew he would get more benefit from that than the potions he crafted.

"Why must you test my patience, Miss Granger? I am not in the mood to deal with you tonight, or tomorrow or any day. I have had my fill of your petulance and your blatant disregard for anyone and I just need you to act normal. Please. Just go do what I have asked and we will get along just fine. You don't need to get into a sparring match every damn time we are near one another. It doesn't suit you and it tires me so."

"I just need to keep letting you know how much I dislike you."

"I get it. I really do," His voice even and calm. "You hate me, I hate you. I am glad that is out in the open now because now we can both move on knowing we both share the same feelings for one another," he snapped a little too sarcastically.

She wanted to yell at him and to scream at him. She wanted to cry and she wanted to fall to the floor in a heap and sob and let out all that was troubling her, but she was too strong for that, instead she berated him, she tried to tear down his own self-confidence in a bid to raise her own. If the truth was to be known… Sparring with him was like a therapy for her, it released her anger and her frustrations, and he wouldn't lie, he may like it a little more than he should have. He liked the fire the girl had within her and he liked she wasn't scared and she never backed down. If anyone else had spoken to him in the same manner she had, they would have been dealt with in a heavier handed method than what he was showing her right now.

"I don't hate you," She offered.

"Really?" he quirked a single brow in question. She had a funny way of showing she didn't hate someone.

"I hate things about you, and I hate the way you treat people. I hate the way you are so abrasive and short-fused, but you have done some noble things in your time I guess." She shrugged as she sat back down on the edge of his wooden desk again.

Well, his shelves weren't getting sorted out tonight he mused as he watched the girl staring at him intently as if waiting to hear his thoughts on the matter.

"Well, well, well. Hasn't your attitude taken a sharp left turn? Last night you said I had no redeeming qualities, and now you are telling me I have done noble things in my lifetime. What is it Miss Granger, am I noble, or am I so depraved and vile that there is no redemption for my soul?"

Deep thought crossed her face for a moment. She couldn't believe she was sitting here talking to him like an equal and he to her. It was… Strange but she weirdly liked it. Perhaps she could hold a conversation with Professor Snape and he wasn't as bad as she had been led to believe.

"I don't know." She tapped her lip in deep thought for a moment, wondering if perhaps the man could be redeemed and deserved to live a life just like everyone else.

"You know what I think about you, Miss Granger?"

She tilted her head to the side in wonder as he continued on. "I think you are a scared girl who tries to be brave and put on a false façade and puff yourself up to those around you think you are stronger than you really are. I am certain that you are heartbroken your friends no longer contact you and pretend you exist. And I am positive you lie in bed at night with hot tears and heavy sobs ripping through your core. And I just know that you single-handedly blame yourself for every drop of innocent blood that was spilled in our war."

He folded his arms coolly across his chest as he watched her expression change from confusion, to realization and flash to sadness.

"Is it that obvious?" Her words a ghostly whisper to his ears.

"To me, yes. Because Miss Granger… You and I are more alike than you would think." He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder as she looked up into his eyes with uncertainty. Could she trust him, was this just a ruse to get her to open up to him so he could sneer at her and use her as the butt of his jokes? Tears pricked her eyes that for once, someone got her. Someone understood what was brewing deep beneath her surface and behind the false façade.

 **A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews. Thank you to the ones who pointed out I had the wrong twin who died (in my head I wrote the right one…In the story…Obviously not. And I got Occlumency and Legilimency mixed up. Please forgive me, I wrote it when I had the flu and couldn't think straight.**

 **There also seems to be some confusion as to when this was set. It's set after the war, but Severus survived and Hermione has come back to finish her seventh year (which is not her eighth). I hope that clears that up. And Severus is no long headmaster because the ministry is no longer under Voldemorts control, so Miverva now runs the school.**

I belted this chapter out in an hour, I had quite a lot of muse tonight. I hope you enjoy it.

 **-Aliasmel1**


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione felt as if a one-tonne weight had been lifted off her shoulders. He got it. Someone actually understood how she felt and she wanted to cry and sob her anger, hurt and frustrations out right here and right now, but she opted to hold herself together for the interim and hear him out.

"I know what it is like, Miss Granger. The feeling of loneliness, the feeling of failure, and the feeling of defeat, but most of all, that horrible feeling of not being wanted. That is the feeling that will cut you deep and scar you the most. The sheer terror of being alone and rejected is what eats at your very soul, making you second-guess yourself, it makes you hate yourself. Knowing no one wants you and you are destined to walk the earth as a lone entity for the rest of your life. That is what truly scares me and I am sure that is what scares everyone. Not even death scares me; I would welcome death with open arms over loneliness."

He sighed deeply. To be lonely was one this, but to be alone was a totally different game of Quidditch.

"To be alone, to have no one is just unfathomable. Sure, we may surround ourselves with others on a daily basis but they aren't with us on another level, a romantic level, a spiritual level, the level of all that is love and desire. No one truly cares except that one person in life, that soul mate you seek and can often not find. They are the ones who really care and understand. The missing piece to our puzzle, the second half of us that is missing." His hand still resting on her shoulder in a comforting manner, giving it a light squeeze he retracted his arm.

Pulling out a stool from behind one of the desks, he sat on it, facing Hermione who was still sitting on his desk. If it had have been any other time, he would have told her to move, but because this was such a delicate situation he let it slide. Just this once.

"The tight feeling you get in your chest where you feel the breath is being squeezed out of you ever so slowly like a tightening ring around your ribcage. The constant lump in your throat and the headaches that just don't go away. I understand it all," He said simply, watching the girl in a hope the gauge her reaction.

"The way your heart hammers in your chest with worry as bile threatens to rise and spill forth as your thoughts swirl around your head non-stop merging together and creating even bigger, darker thoughts."

Hermione let out a relieved sigh. He really did get it. Everything he was explaining was everything she was feeling. The chest tightening and the constant thoughts swirling like the memories in a pensive, the lump in the throat, it was all there.

"And why do you care so much that you should want to single me out to talk about this, to help me?"

"That's easy, a young, intelligent witch such as yourself shouldn't have the weight of the world placed solely on her shoulders for actions that were not caused or could not be fixed by your hands and your hands only. You can't just burden the responsibility solely on yourself, Miss Granger. You were merely a victim of circumstances. Had you not befriended Potter, it would have been some other unfortunate soul who was shouldered with the responsibility that you took on. You have a life to live and you aren't doing much living at the moment, at the moment you are merely existing."

"And you aren't worthy of redemption? You aren't worthy of being helped?" She cocked her head to the side watching him intently as he put the answer together in his mind.

"I am old, Miss Granger. It matters not what happens to me. But you, you are young, you can pick up the pieces, put them all together again and walk away from here with a purpose." Wearily he ran the palms of his hands over his eyes, rubbing them for a few brief moments in frustration and sadness.

"And you are how old?" She questioned.

"Thirty-Eight, Miss Granger," he reply was forced and dry.

"Ancient. So passed your used by date, may as well dig a hole now," She said with a roll of her eyes and sarcasm laced in her tone.

Severus looked offended until it dawned on him that she was merely antagonizing him to get a reaction from him.

"You see, Miss Granger. I can see a lot of myself in you. The self-loathing, the pity party for one, the way the joy has left your eyes, replaced only by doubt and hatred for yourself. I know we may not have seen eye to eye in the past, and we have exchanged some pretty sharp words but if you want to talk, any time of the day or night because Merlin knows I don't sleep anyway, I am always here," His voice full of sincerity as she tried to gauge if he really had an ulterior motive or if he was being genuine.

"Thank you, Sir." She smiled meekly getting to her feet and stretching her back, her ass was screaming out in pain, being numbed by the hardened wood it had been sitting on.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked the girl, a hint of disappointment almost evident in his voice.

"Well, no, I mean, if you want me to stay… I can. It's not like I have anywhere to be, tomorrow being Saturday and I don't sleep anyway. I just thought maybe you had grown tired of me being here and all…" She trailed off, watching him get to his feet he strode over to the door to his office, pulling it open. It was much more comfortable in there than out here and they had some semblance of privacy in case there should an unwanted student finding their way into his classroom at this late hour.

She scurried behind him quickly, entering his office, she couldn't think of a time she had actually ever been in here. Not even the time she pilfered ingredients for the Poly Juice Potion, they all came from his storeroom.

She looked around the office it was small, a desk set in the middle, a fireplace, and a few shelves held vials of potion ingredients she couldn't actually put her finger on. She had never seen anything like them before.

"Expensive ingredients. Hard to source, limited supplies, not for students so they are kept in here at all times. More of a talking point than anything else, I rarely use them. And no, you wouldn't have ever been in here, because even during the many times you have tried and succeeded in stealing potions ingredients, the door has always been heavily warded with magic that not even your brilliant mind could crack." He folded his arms tightly over his chest, sitting down in the leather winged-back chair, gesturing towards the other identical chair on the opposite side of the desk.

She took it and was thankful at how much softer it was than the edge of his desk. And was that a challenge? She didn't take challenges lightly.

"First of all, stay out of my head, please. And second, I reckon I could crack the wards in here in under five minutes." She smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him as if begging him to allow her to try.

"I'm not letting you try, Miss Granger, to do so would be redundant and a waste of time."

"Please?" She pouted. "I need a challenge. What, are you scared I am going to out-do your wards and make you question yourself, leaving you with self-doubt that deep down you aren't the all-powerful Severus Snape like you seem to think you are?"

"Fine." He sighed haughtily, setting the wards from the inside. "Go on," he muttered, an evil smirk twisting on his lips. There was no way she could do this. She may be smart, and powerful, but she wasn't that smart or that powerful to outwit the wards that he could conjure.

Hermione took in a deep breath and stood, walking to the door she could feel the wards buzzing already right through her, they were stronger than anything she had ever felt, and a tinge of dark magic could be felt within them, she could sense they were incredibly strong and complex. Throwing a worried look over her shoulder at him, she got to work. Within three minutes she had the wards disabled and didn't get hexed in the process.

He almost had to pick his jaw up off the floor and eat his own words. "Impressive" he muttered dryly under his breath, none too amused that a student could outwit and tear down his wards with such simplicity. He would have to see to making them Granger proof.

"Thank you," she replied in a light, airy almost singsong tone, sitting back in the chair. Silence engulfed them for a few minutes.

"You obviously are a very capable witch, Miss Granger, have you given thought to what you will be doing after you leave here?" Tenting his fingers and resting his elbows on the desk.

She shrugged. "Not really. I mean I like magical creatures so maybe something in that field might be interesting," her tone bored and flat. The truth was, she hadn't really given it much thought at all. Her affinity for good grades and care for her education had all but flown by the wayside after the war. All of a sudden, those things didn't matter as much, and as such, she lacked effort and care for her future.

"What happened to the little bushy-haired know-it-all from a few years ago who had her whole life mapped out and her entire education planned?" A rise of a single brow accompanied the question. She really had changed.

"Things change, people change." She shrugged.

"Perhaps its time that you thought about these avenues again, Miss Granger. In the blink of an eye, you will be leaving here and then where will you go, what will you do? Where are your parents, are they still around?" He knew very well they weren't but at the same time, he didn't want to alert her to the fact he knew more than he probably ought to.

"I had to send them away and altered their memories. Maybe I will track them down and try to fix it but at the time I performed it, I wasn't planning on going back and undoing it. The truth was, I was hoping for the best but I was preparing for the worst," Sadness ebbed into both her voice and her eyes, her voice uneven as she spoke.

"You obliviated their memory?" He asked in a surprised upwards inflection.

She shook her head, brown curls waving around wildly. "Just a charm, a complex one. I was never much good at obliviation if I am honest."

"Wow, something the great Hermione Granger hasn't quite mastered."

Her top lip curled up in response before a sneer crossed her face, almost mimicking his trademark sneer perfectly.

For the first time in a long time, Hermione found herself enjoying conversation, she found the tight invisible band around her chest was slowly starting to loosen and she could breathe a little easier. The lump in her throat was fading and the headache was lessening. Could talking to her Potions Master really be what she needed? She shook her head, no, that was preposterous. This was intriguing.

"And what about Potter and Weasley, what were their plans for life? Or were they just planning on riding the giant wave of success well into adulthood and beyond?"

"Well," she began matter of factly, "Harry wanted to be an Auror, Ron wanted to try out for a Quidditch team. Right now they are riding that wave of success, yes," She snorted loudly. She was never one to stand in the spotlight so couldn't understand why they took to it so well.

"I think it may have gone to their head a little more than they had planned. I mean, none of us planned to get fame or fortune out of this, and then, before we are even in our twenties we are given a Hero's reception and a large fortune to live off for the rest of our days, and for what? Bloodshed? Loss of life?" She sighed sadly, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.

She wiped the tears away with the back of her hands, forcing a wry smile. She didn't want to be seen as weak, not in his presence.

"So anyway, obviously Ron had never had much money, much of anything, you know. So he went a little crazy. Asked me to marry him a month after the war. Bought me a ridiculously sized ring to try to prove his love for me." She rolled her eyes.

"And of course I declined. It didn't feel right, you know. To celebrate something after so many people met their demise. I explained to him I wanted to wait, wanted to come back to school and he told me I was stupid, said we didn't need an education because we had enough money to live out our days. Two days after that I saw him with his tongue down Lavender Brown's throat and that' the last time I have uttered a word to him." She coughed just at the right time to cover up a giant sob that tore through her body.

"Harry. Harry was another Quidditch game altogether from Ron. Being the Golden Child, having Hero status thrust upon him really went to his head. Shagged more women than he has had hot dinners now I reckon. Tried it on me after he saw how upset I was after I caught Ron and Lavender, punched him square in the nose for his efforts. He was my best friend and he tried to take advantage of me in my time of need. He's become a right foul Git too," she huffed, tossing her long wild curls over her shoulder and jutting her chin out in an act of defiance.

He couldn't help but let out a chuckle at her recollection of the story, she was a fiery little minx who didn't seem to take shit from anyone and to see Potter put in his place by Granger would have been all of his Birthday's and Christmases come at once.

"Interesting," He muttered, rearranging his features quickly to hide his clear amusement before he was on the receiving end of one of her tirades. "You will have to show me that memory one day, it would give me great pleasure to see Potter put back in his place."

"Of course," She chirped a little too happily.

"So basically, fame got to their head and turned them further into cunt's than they had already been?" He questioned simply.

She reeled a little at the word he had chosen. Was Severus Snape getting comfortable enough in her presence to let such words slip, or was the late hour impeding his train of thought?

Her eyes darted to his clock, her eyes fuzzy from tiredness she tried to focus, and she almost reeled at the time. Three a.m. She had been here since nine p.m and she had never once faltered or grew bored of his presence. Never once did he make a snide or crude remark towards here. Where was the real Severus Snape, she mused to herself.

Her eyes grew tired and heavy, something she wasn't accustomed to, but something deep within her felt relaxed, felt at ease.

Severus watched as the fiery little bitch went limp before his eyes. He knew he wasn't the most riveting person on terra firma but he didn't expect her to fall asleep mid-conversation.

He watched the rise and fall of her chest; her breathing became softer and more rhythmic as she was lulled deeper into a slumber. He couldn't very well leave her here flopped in the chair in his office, could he? The thought did cross his mind but he had more compassion than that, didn't he? He snorted to himself. Since when did he have compassion? Especially for Hermione Granger.

Getting to his feet he gently levitated the girl a few feet into the air; opening the door to his chambers he guided her onto one of his couches and laid her down gently. He had thought about ramming her head into the coffee table a few times and dropping her unceremoniously onto the couch, but for some stupid reason, his moral compass was calibrated correctly tonight and he hated it.

Accio'ing a blanket for her, he gently threw it over her lithe, unconscious form. He could have woken her up and sent her packing back to her dorm, but she looked so peaceful and he knew she was hardly afforded any sleep.

He turned on his heel and left the little witch to get some peace and quiet. Maybe he too might catch some sleep tonight.

-o-o-o-o-

Hermione's eyes fluttered open ever so slowly, under the groggy spell of sleep her head spun and her heart sank as an unfamiliar room came into view. It was dark and it was dank and whatever she was lying on felt like she was sleeping on a pile of stones.

Sitting up in a flash she looked down to see she was still in her school uniform and then it all came flooding back to her. The conversation with Snape, she must had fallen asleep, but it still didn't answer the question of where she was.

"My chambers, Miss Granger," came his cool and calm reply as he strode into view, robes billowing behind him.

"I told you to stop doing that," She protested. Embarrassed by the fact she had fallen asleep in front of him, and the fact she was now in his chamber and probably looked a right mess after a night of sleep.

Wait, a night of sleep? She actually slept? Sweet baby Merlin, she actually slept.  
"Yes, Miss Granger, twelve hours straight, out like a light."

"It's three in the afternoon!?" She gasped.

"Indeed."

She looked around the small sitting room; his coffee table was littered with half-full liquor bottles, some empty coffee cups and weeks worth of the daily profits were piled on the corner precariously, threatening to fall to the floor with the next breeze that caught them. Watching him snatch up a bottle of gin, he poured a generous amount into his coffee cup and downed some of the contents easily.

"Do you have a drinking problem?" She eyed him sideways suspiciously.  
"I don't view it as a problem, Miss Granger. I view it as a solution to my problems, so no, I do not have a drinking problem, I have a drinking solution." He took another sip, eyeing her over the coffee cup as he did so.

"You know, alcohol isn't always the answer."

He sneered at her, how did she know, she probably hadn't had a drop of liquor in her life to feel all that it could fix, and here she was condemning him.

"You just have to ask the right question, and it will always be the right answer." He took another sip, emptying his cup and slamming it down on the table.

"Now, are you going to go, or am I stuck with you down here for another twelve hours?"

"I'm going," she huffed. The strong smell of alcohol filled her nostrils and made her want to vomit slightly.

"Bye, Miss Granger."

"Bye, Professor," she bit with sarcasm before storming from his chambers, leaving him to uncork the bottle of gin once again. He looked at it calculating for a minute before pressing the bottle to his lips. That was interesting, to say the least, he thought to himself.

He didn't find her insufferable or annoying, he found that she not only piqued his interest but held it as well.

 **A/N: Here you all go. My muse was strong tonight and I had to get this written. I am really enjoying where this is going and I hope you are too.**

 **Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	7. Chapter 7

Shattered 

Chapter Seven

* * *

"Malfoy," She bit as he sat next to her, invading her personal space. She was perched in a chair in the library, leaning over her homework, nose almost skimming the paper as her gaze focused intently on what she was writing.

"Granger," He chirped a little too happily.

"To what do I owe the displeasure of your company?" Looking up at him she frowned and shifted uncomfortably away from him a touch to put a few centimeters between them.

"Well," he began, flopping down into a chair beside her uninvited, looking over the parchment she was working on intently.

"That's wrong." He pointed to a line in her potions homework, "Draught of the living dead you stir anti-clockwise seven times, not clockwise seven times."

She rubbed her eyes tiredly, trying to get them to focus better. She had indeed written the wrong thing and he had indeed been right, and she didn't like that. But to say her brain was wandering elsewhere would be an understatement. She still didn't like not knowing why Snape had taken such an interest to her, and she knew it was in his nature to manipulate people for things that he needed or wanted. A leopard never changes its spots; well that is what her mother always said to her and thus far, the adage had been proven right time and time again.

"What do you want, Malfoy," She bit, irritation tangled in her tone. "Or are you just here to point out that my homework was wrong?" She huffed, putting the quill gently on the table and crossing her arms tight across her chest.

"Care to uh tell me why I saw you heading into Snape's office at nine last night and leaving again at three this afternoon, still dressed in the same clothes you arrived in and your hair looked even more disheveled than it usually is, indicating that you didn't even make an attempt or have ways or means to brush it.."

He folded his arms across his chest, eyes glittering with question like he knew something he ought not to. As if by some divine intervention she was meant to confess something to him, the thing was, she had no idea exactly what it was.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Malfoy," She snapped at him, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. Her eyes were tired, she had been in here for the past five hours, time getting away from her as she tried to catch up on her homework, and she wasn't in the mood for an interrogation.

"Bit touchy on the subject are we? Am I to assume there is something going on between the dungeon bat and the war heroine? Something that shouldn't be happening?" He cocked a brow expectantly at her, tapping his bottom lip mockingly as if he were in deep thought.

"There is NOTHING going on there, Draco, so get whatever it is out of your head because it is so far from the truth. I had detention, nothing more, nothing less. You ought to do something creative with that wild imagination of yours, instead of interrogating me over something that isn't or never will happen."

"I know what I saw," His voice low and threatening.

"Best to get your eyes checked then, and why were you stalking me? What, did you take up a post outside of his classroom to keep tabs on me?"

H growled deep in his throat. He knew there had to be something going on otherwise why would she have spent so much time in his classroom? It didn't add up.

"Don't flatter yourself, Granger. I just happened to be strolling past innocently both times I saw you. And anyway, that's not what I wanted anyway," He cleared his throat as if he had a huge announcement to make.

"What, Malfoy?" She bit out, growing tired of him annoying her.

"Well, you are a girl… And I am a guy-"

"Wow, took you eight years to work that one out? I can see an education at Hogwarts wasn't wasted on you,,. Clap, clap Einstein." Her tone sarcastic, rolling her eyes, she didn't she could roll her eyes so far back into her head until right now.

"No, just hear me out. We have been through so much together already what with the war and all… Maybe we should-" He looked nervously at the table and back up to her, "Maybe you know, we could get to know each other a bit more, it may lead to romantic entanglement..." He trailed off.

She snorted so loudly and so hard, she was sure she had just dislodged and swallowed her uvula down her throat. Never in her life had she heard such a ridiculous proposition, and she was best friends with Ron and Harry and one stage in her life. You couldn't get much stupider than their ideas.

"What do you mean we have been through so much together?" She screeched, her patience finally wearing out with him. "We have been through nothing together, the entire time I was fighting against what you were fighting for. We have nothing in common, you have wished me dead on more than one occasion and to top it off your father and his 'blood supremacy' bullshit, you really think he would lay down and let me waltz in and welcome me with open arms?"

She ran a hand wearily through her hair, she could honestly not believe what she was hearing right now. "Go see pug-faced Pansy, I am sure she would be more than accommodating towards you, isn't it every pureblood girls dream? To bag themselves a rich one with notoriety? Or does the great Malfoy name not hold as much esteem within Pureblood society nowadays? You can take your romantic entanglement and shove it up your ass sideways."

"My father is in Azkaban so it matters not to him what I do," His voice low and even.

"And he will be in Azkaban for the rest of his life, Mister Malfoy," Drawled Severus as he stepped out from behind a shelf and inviting himself into their conversation. She wondered how long he has been there and how much of her conversation he had heard. "Miss Granger, you have detention soon." Folding his arms across his chest he looked pointedly at her.

"But… Sir, it's a Saturday." She looked confused.

"And when has that ever stopped a detention, Miss Granger? My stores aren't going to clean, replenish and organize themselves you know."

She blushed, "You are right," She replied sheepishly.

"What about an answer for me," Draco pushed.

"I can assure you, Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger's answer would be no, but perhaps not that tame."

"He's right," she confirmed. "Didn't you understand the part where I said shove it up your ass sideways? Or do you need me to spell it out for you?" Throwing her belongings into her book bag and hoisting it over her shoulder as she stood.

"I'll just take this back to my room, sir."

"No rush, Miss Granger." His voice low as he watched her stalk away.

"What's going on between you and her?" Draco asked intently.

"Nothing, Draco," all formalities had been all but thrown out the window now they were alone, " She has detention for being a back chatting little cow and that is the extent of it."

"Detention that lasted until three o'clock this afternoon? He jutted his chin out defiantly.

"You best not meddle with situations you know nothing of, Draco," his words a low, cold whisper, eyes daring him to comment further on the subject, but Draco knew better. He knew his godfather wasn't one to cross and probe for more information. Even if he did tell you, could you really trust him? After all, he was and probably still was a master of deceit."

-o-o-o-o-

"Miss Granger." He nodded curtly at the girl as she entered his office, standing before his desk; she looked down at him expectantly like she wanted something.  
The truth was she wanted to talk to him more. It was a type of therapy, even if she didn't want to admit it. She liked talking to him, she found him fascinating and interesting, but also very complicated.

"What would you like me to do?" She asked him, watching him intently as he stooped further over the papers he was marking, quill scratching parchment softly.

"Clean my stores, Miss Granger. What you were meant to do last night before you deiced to have an impromptu nap on my watch."

She flushed red, deciding not to ask him anything else in the interim; she began doing as she was told. Fifteen minutes in and neither had uttered a word to the other and she wondered how one night he could be so forthcoming and open, and the next night, he was tight-lipped and closed. She crinkled her nose up as she found a jar of twenty-year-old boomslang skin that has begun to turn rancid and slimy.

"Sir?" She quipped, turning to look at him, he stiffened, quill hovering over the parchment, and she wondered if he was going to answer her, or pretend he hadn't heard her.

Finally, he looked at her, placing the quill lightly on the desk and folding his arms across his chest.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" His voice soft and even, laced with hints of interest.

"I was wondering, and I am sorry if I am talking out of turn here but it has been at the forefront of my mind for many, many months…." She trailed off, looking at him for any sign that should tell her to back off and mind her own business, but his body language remained impassive so she pressed on.

"During the war… What side were you on exactly? There has been much speculation as to who you sided with but I thought I would come straight to you are ask, Sir."

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He didn't like to divulge too much information about himself and thought perhaps he had overstepped the boundaries and now she felt as if she could ask him anything. Was he too accommodating towards her?

"Miss Granger, I don't know what you are playing at, but I suggest you stop."

She held her hands up in defense, "I am not playing at anything, Sir. I am merely asking the question that many before me have asked and wondered, I was just ambitious enough to come to the source and ask directly."

"It matters not what side I was or wasn't on. What matters is that the war is over and I ask for redemption to live a quiet life."

"I personally think your true allegiance didn't lay with anyone, I think you were playing both sides to benefit yourself so you could come up trumps no matter that situation and you would have been guaranteed freedom no matter what side was successful."

"So you believe it was in it for myself and myself only, Miss Granger?"

"That's exactly what I am saying," She challenged.

"You were playing both sides to ensure your own safety and freedom no matter what side fell. You couldn't commit to a side."

"Are you saying I have commitment issues, Miss Granger?"

She shrugged. "I think you have a lot of issues."

"Duly noted." He was certain this was the last stint of detention she would serve with him, he couldn't take it anymore, he had had enough Hermione Granger in the past week to last him and lifetime.

"So?" She questioned.

"So?" He retaliated.

"What side were you on?"

"What side would you want me on?"

"Well." She brushed her long curls over her shoulder and sauntered up to his desk, "you are smart, powerful and a master of deceit, I think your talents would have been great on the good side, but your character lands you on Voldemort's side."

"Does it matter? The war is over…." He trailed off.

"It doesn't matter but it is interesting to know." She shrugged.

"I guess we will never know," came his forced, bland reply.

"I guess not," she huffed. She really wanted to know but she was getting nowhere fast and she knew there was no point pushing the issue.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" He asked because she was still standing there looking at him like a lost puppy.

"That's all." She made her way back to the shelves of ingredients and continued to sort through them in silence. Half rotten lacewings, fairy wings that had rotten into a disgusting rancid liquid followed by congealed iguana blood. Tossing each one into the bin after the other. She was glad they were in bottles and jars because she would have thrown up six ways from Sunday if she had to actually smell these.

"Sir?"

She could hear him softly sigh and drop the quill again even with her back to him and she just knew he would be rubbing his temples and trying to push down the urge to strangle her.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Just letting you know I have had to throw out your boomslang skin, your iguana blood, lacewings and your fairy wings, just so you know. I am pretty sure they had been here since the first ever potions lesson to be taught within these walls."

"Thank you, Miss Granger. Seeing as they were my last fairy wings, it would seem a trip into the forest is in order." He stood up and stretched, his back softly popping into place vertebrae, after vertebrae.

"I'll just be finishing up here then while you go out then…" She trailed off, hoping that was at least the plan. She was uneasy when the corner of his lips twitched and a smirk graced his features. "Oh no, Miss Granger. You will be accompanying me to the forest." Folding arms over chest it gave him great delight to see her face drop and he knew right now her stomach would be doing backflips as it fell to the floor.

"I insist sir, you go by yourself." She smiled sweetly, hoping it would be enough to get her out of going.

"Oh no, Miss Granger, you are coming whether you like it or not. Let's go."

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, Why her?

They walked in relative silence, she closely followed behind him, the sound of their breathing and footsteps were the only thing that could be heard with the odd sound off in the distance that unsettled Hermione.

"Do you have your wand?" He stopped and turned to her, causing her to run straight into him and bounce back a few steps.

"Sorry," She muttered as he cast a displeased glance her way.

"Yes, I have my wand," She confirmed nodding her head.

"Good, keep it at the ready… Since Dumbledore's death, the centaurs haven't been very accommodating with people entering the forest, they are becoming even more hostile towards the people who enter the forest and I wouldn't trust them as fast as I could pick them up and throw them." He lit the tip of his own wand and she followed suit, lighting the tip of her own wand.

She nodded, fishing her wand from her pocket and holding it so tight she was white knuckling.

"Do we actually have to kill the fairy's, sir?" She asked in a low, hushed whisper so as to not draw attention to them.

"No," he whispered back, holding his wand high in the air, his feet leading him the path he had traveled many a time. "We just have to catch them and pull their wings off. It doesn't hurt them physically, but it hurts their vanity."

They continued to walk in silence side by side and she found herself gravitating closer and closer to him as every noise, twig snapping or footstep she heard until her arm was brushing his.

Casting a glance at her sideways her realized her close proximity and wanted to gently push her away but he couldn't deny how soft and warm she felt pressing herself into him. He tried to push the thought from his head, she was a student, she was Hermione Granger, it was immoral and wrong to relish in the touch of such a young girl. Especially the little know-it-all bitch that had made his life somewhat of a living hell over the past eight years.

Hermione felt that they had been walking for an eternity but she wasn't going to open the gap between them. She didn't want to be out here, and she was relying on him for most of the protection she should need should this trip go awry.

He stopped abruptly and knelt down, like lightning he reached out and grabbed a glowing fairy's wings between his thumb and forefinger, watching it trying to pull out of his grip. With little force, he shook the fairy and the wings fell off. The disgruntled fairy hit the ground and scampered off irate at what had just happened to her. He pulled a small jar from his robes and gently put the wings in. Fairy wings were extremely hard to come by and you usually on got a few sets of wings before the other fairy's caught on to what was happening and fled.

Hermione saw a fairy in the distance and wanted to get a closer look. She had never actually seen a fairy in real life, only in books and wanted to help collect some wings as well so she at least appeared half useful.

Tentatively she watched as it flittered and flew around fast as she approached it. Its wings glowing and glittering in the darkened night, not even the sky could be seen through the thick canopy of the tree's and Hermione assumed they were right in the belly of the forest. The tree's dwarfing the two of them as if they were insignificant entities in a forest of giants.

The fairy stopped and stared intently at Hermione, and Hermione at it. She held her palm out and the fairy gently landed in her hand. Her attention solely on the fairy in her hand, so mystical, she thought to herself before quickly closing her hand around the fairy who she could feel struggling against her palm to get away, they were usually hard to catch and weary of people. Slowly her palm opened, pinching the fairy between her fingers she gently pulled her wings off, feeling incredibly terrible for doing so, a wave of guilt washed over her as she set the fairy gently on a log and pocketed the wings.

Hermione looked up, right into the eyes of a centaur standing three meters away. She gripped her wand tight, heart began beating hard in her chest, feeling as if it wanted to break her rib cage, she was too scared to breathe, frozen to the spot she willed herself to walk backward slowly, wand at the ready.

"What are you doing in here, young one?" The centaur stepped closer to her in her wand light. She took another step back, unable to process anything in her head, she was no longer a functioning person, and her intuition and sensibility had gone by the wayside.

She stepped back again, the centaur took another step towards her. "You shouldn't be in there," The centaur spoke again, but she couldn't process in her mind what was being said. Her entire thought process had shut off.

She took another tentative step backward, her wand trained on the centaur, not that it was of any help because right now, she forgot how to talk, much less cast a spell.

She collided with something, an arm snaked around her waist holding her close and she visibly relaxed a touch, she knew it was him.

"Bane," He greeted the centaur evenly, his wand held up defensively. The Centaurs sleek black coat gleaming under the light of Severus' wand. His muscles rippling under his hide. His quiver strap camouflaged against his black coat, a large bow in hand, held by his strong, muscular arms down by his side. His hooves ever so nimbly moving him closer to the two.

"What are you doing in here, Snape? You aren't welcome here," his voice dark and intimidating the centaur walked closer, half a meter separated them from him.

He could feel her heart beating hard against him in a song of fear, he was sure she was hardly breathing too. He could smell her shampoo and her perfume assaulted his nostrils, tantalizing them. And if they weren't in such a predicament he might have just bent her over and fucked her then and there. Merlin knew she was old enough and attractive enough to indulge in.

"I have as much right to be here as anyone Bane and you know it. Now be gone. You know what I am capable of and I dare say you needn't be told twice."

She could feel his hot breath pass her cheek and she relaxed back into him a little more, getting her bearings and some sense coming back to her now.

"You killed Dumbledore Bane stated, his voice laced with anger, walking even closer and running a hand over Hermione soft face. She closed her eyes and held back a sob.

"And you know I was acquitted, Bane."

"Who is this?" Blane questioned, tilting his head ever so slightly to look at Snape.

"Hermione Granger," Severus answered, his voice strained. His wand twitched in his hand, ready to send whatever spell he had to at the Centaur.

"Harry Potters friend?" Bane asked, intrigued.

"The one and only," Snape bit back, his grip tightening on Hermione should the centaur decide to rip her from his grip and gallop away with her.

He snorted softly, "Very well, any friend of Harry Potter is a friend of mine. Don't let me catch you back in here Snape. You are lucky you had the girl with you." Bane bowed his head before turning and trotting off, his hooves tapping out a rhythmic two-beat tone as he trotted off in the otherwise silent forest.

Severus could feel Hermione relax in his grip and she began to breathe once more. "Are you ok, Miss Granger?"

"I… I think, yes." She managed to splutter out, her mouth dry.

He was well aware he still had his arm around her middle, palm lying flat on her smooth stomach, over her robes, enjoying the rise and fall of her chest and she breathed against him.

"Very well," He begrudgingly released his grip on her and she took a few seconds to pull herself away from his warm body, "Let's get back."

She nodded in agreeance, walking closely by him again, her arm brushing his as they walked.

* * *

 **Thanks, everyone for your reviews. I have exactly where I am going with this story in my head now; so much so, I have a later chapter written out that has cemented everything from here on in, into place, which is a huge load off of my mind. I don't think this will be a long, extravagant story by any stretch of the imagination. Possibly 15 chapters. We will see where it leads me in the interim.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	8. Chapter 8

Shattered

Chapter Eight

"Tea?" He asked casually, guiding her into his chambers slowly after their ordeal with Bane, she was still shaken.

She only nodded, she would drink anything right now to calm her nerves and settle herself down.

He vanished, leaving her to sit down on the couch she had so easily fallen asleep on her previous time in here, and she looked intently at his collection of liquor bottles, if she didn't know any better, she would have thought perhaps that he had shares in a distillery.

"No, Miss Granger, I don't have shares in a distillery," He casually said, handing her a cup of tea and sitting in a lone armchair to her left.

"Do you always have to enter my head?" She asked, annoyed.

"How can I not? Your thoughts are loud, they just scream to be read. And with the amount of money I have spent, I should have shares in a distillery."

"You know, Alcoholism isn't healthy." She took a sip of her tea, relaxing back into the couch, watching him pour the last few drops from a whiskey bottle into his own cup.

"Either is keeping your feelings and emotions bottled up until you can't hold them in anymore and cry an entire night. We all have our shortfalls, Miss Granger." He took a sip of his own alcohol-laced tea, looking over the teacup at her; maybe she did have a point… He had been partaking in the consumption of the liquor a little heavy-handed lately.

"If I were meant to die, I would have died when Nagini tried to kill me, Miss Granger. Any day after that is just a bonus, so if my liver were to give out tomorrow, I wouldn't be upset."

"Surely you have things to look forward to in life…" She trailed off taking another sip of tea.

"Not really," His reply was dry.

"You don't have any family? A significant other?"

He shook his head, long black hair curtaining his face as he dropped his gaze to the ground. He didn't like talking about his parents. "My father was an unpleasant man until he met his unfortunate demise." The corners of his lips flicked up into a sneer. "Such a shame that he died," he bit with total sarcasm.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, wondering if she was pushing the boundaries or not. "Did you… Did you kill him?" She stammered.

"You have to remember, Miss Granger. He was a terribly evil person. He used to beat my mother, abused her mentally and physically," he voice cracking as he talked, a lone tear escaped and slid down his cheek and he was thankful his hair was covering his face so she couldn't see his weakness. He scrubbed the palms of his hands over his eyes and across his cheek, removing the tear that was slowly running down his face.

She didn't even need to ask him again, she knew that was a good enough confession as any, albeit indirectly said.

"He killed my mother in one of his fits of rage. Snapped her wand and the pushed her down the stairs. I was tormented as a child, watching the abuse unfold but not being strong enough to stop it. He beat me too. To feel so helpless as a child as you watch your mother beaten and bloody in front of you and knowing you can't do anything to help is soul destroying," his voice crackling sadly as if he were about to burst into tears at his confession.

"Would you not have gotten revenge on someone who abused your mother and killed her, Miss Granger? Even if that man was your sperm donor? I won't call him my father; he was never a father to me. I hated him and he hated me equally. He didn't like that I would try to protect my mother from his fists of rage. I was on the receiving end many a time trying to stop him." His voice low and strained.

"I would much rather do myself in than lay a hand on the woman whom I was meant to love and had a hand in bringing life into this world with. He was weak. A weak lowly animal, he wasn't missed by anyone and especially not by me. They had to identify him only by his dental records once his remains were found."

"I'm sorry," She managed to whisper, shocked and confused at the confession he was spilling forth towards her. And it all of a sudden made so much sense to her, he was like he was because he was abused directly by the hands of his father, one of the people who is meant to protect and love you, not beat and berate you.

All of a sudden she felt sad, she felt emphatic as if she should walk over, rest her hand on his shoulder and let him know he has someone in the world that would talk to him, who knew what it was like to be alone. Who knew how lonely one's thoughts were when they were left to their own devices.

She spied a Daily Prophet resting precariously on the edge of his coffee table and she made a grab for it, he saw what she was doing and grabbed it before she could. Obscuring it from her view.

"Why can't I read it?" She protested.

"You don't want to, trust me on this one."

"Show me," She demanded. "I'm not a child I can handle whatever is in there."

He sighed, closed his eyes and handed her the paper, giving her a few moments to peruse the article splashed on the front pages. Her facial expression turned from confusion, loathing and finally finished at a pale, sickly shade of white.

"I tried to stop you from reading it, Miss Granger."

Tears began to spill down her cheeks as sadness etched into her face. "How could he do it?" She whispered.

A smiling photo a Ron and Lavender Brown (Or rather Weasley) splashed across the front page of the paper, hand in hand as they waved to the camera. Lavender was dressed in a beautiful wedding gown while Ron was dressed in a fine suit.

"War hero marries Hogwarts love?" She snorted as she threw the paper on the ground with force.

"I put up with him for all of those years. Not her, me! I am the one that got him out of so many stupid situations and predicaments that it isn't funny. She did nothing. Nothing!" Her voice raised a few octaves. "And what thanks do I get? None. Zip. Not even an invite to the wedding. Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Well, to be fair, your talents would have been wasted marrying him, tied to the kitchen popping out redhead after redhead as you pandered to his every whim."

"I'm not even angry with that. I'm not even angry that he married her…" she trailed off.

"Yes, you are. You thought deep down perhaps one day when you were ready you would take him back, he would welcome you with open arms and you would marry him and have babies." He sipped his tea watching her over the rim intently.

"I'm angrier that I didn't even get an invite. Oh, Hermione, you were my best friend for eight bloody years, come to our wedding," she said in a mock high falsetto. "I wasn't even an afterthought in this stupid situation and that is what really hurts me." Her eyes filled with tears once again as she began to sob, holding her head in her hands.

"You're better off without him, without them," he tried to be reassuring but he wasn't really good at this, at consoling a crying teenage girl in his chambers after hours, or consoling anyone for that matter.

"I just don't get why they didn't even tell me. Even Harry could have told me…"

"Once people get what they want, they are quick to dispose of the person when they no longer have anything to offer."

She finished her tea and set down the cup on the table in a small space between the whiskey and the gin.

"I guess I won't be going to the burrow for Christmas then." She knew she probably wouldn't have been anyway, but this turn of unfortunate events had just confirmed that.

It was his turn to snort. "Oh no," He said sarcastically, "You can't go sit in that shit-shack eating whatever food Molly scrapes together, listening to those inept morons talking about Quidditch. Followed by an evening of out of tune singing that would be in my humble opinion worse than strangling a cat while running nails over a chalkboard. Look at it this way; you won't have to sit there watching that vapid little bitch shove her tongue down Weasley's throat the entire time you are there. She is dull and she is plain, you came out on top here, could you imagine a conversation between those two? They would be lucky to have ten brain cells between them."

She had to stifle a laugh, covering her mouth. "You have a point."

"Of course I have a point. I would rather spend an eternity roaming the lands as a lonely, bitter, twisted prick than spend one Christmas being subject to those atrocities."

"Well… you already have the lonely, bitter and twisted part right, so you only have to start roaming and you will be set." Her eyes glittered mischievously as a smile played on her lips.

"I should give you detention for that. But I have already learned my lesson not to do that again or I get stuck here till the wee hours consoling you and spilling my guts."

"And that's a problem?" She asked

"Not at all. It's better than sitting here drinking alone every night."

"Or you could just not drink at all, you know." She tossed her wild mane of curls over her shoulder, her eyes glittering in the light of the fire. "I don't even see the appeal in drinking. She pulled a bottle of gin off of the table and opened it; sniffing it she crinkled her nose up. "The smell is horrendous." She put the lid back on and moved to the whiskey next, the smell almost took her breath away.

"You could always spend Christmas at Malfoy Manor," he offered, watching her pick up the bottle of vodka to smell it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"Draco has an interest in you…"

"And he can continue to take an interest in me from afar because I have zero interest in him. Is this water?" She questioned, holding up a bottle of vodka. "It doesn't particularly have a smell."

"You are one of the only girls that have ever knocked Draco back. That will only make him desire you more and the chase will be relentless. Draco isn't used to being told no. Draco is used to getting everything that he desires."

"Well, Draco can finally work out what it is like to not get his own way for once in his life." She lifted the bottle to her lips and took in a large sip. She was certain it was water until it touched her tongue and all of a sudden, she regretted her choice. The alcohol burnt her tongue and made her eyes water, she swallowed it hard with a gulp, burning the length of her esophagus right to the pit if her stomach.

"You regret that decision don't you?" He raised a single brow amusement playing on his features.

"I do." She coughed as she set the bottle down. "I am not attracted to Draco in any way, shape, or form. Maybe I will just grow old alone and never marry and never have any children, that would suit me just fine," she harrumphed.

"It's worked for me so far, so I can't disagree with you there. Although as you get older you start to ponder life's meaning and all of the misdeeds and atrocities you have partaken in and wonder if you will be cast to the deepest pits of hell where you will be destined to burn for all eternity and that might actually not be as bad as life itself. And you wonder if you will ever find a semblance of happiness or love but deep down, you know you never will because you don't deserve it." He twisted off the bottle top of the vodka she had just taken a sip from and downed a hearty portion in one.

"I'm sure you will find someone." She smiled meekly at him, "Everyone deserves someone."

"I doubt that very highly. There would be more chance of Voldemort rising again than me ever finding someone who would put up with my terrible personality, my less than desirable looks and my cold attitude. I am quite the narcissist if I do say so myself and I couldn't see any normal functioning woman putting up with that. " He pressed the bottle to his lips again, eyeing her off as she drank the clear liquor.

"You never know. I believe there is someone for everyone, Sir and that someone could come into your life at any moment and when you least expect it for some reason you will never actually know. And you will realize you need this person just as much as they need you and they will love you, warts and all. And you will wonder how you ever got through life without this person and now, all of a sudden life is easier, and you have something to look forward to." She looked off into the distance, gazing unfocused on the wall opposite her dreamily.

"You seem to have such perfect ideologies on love and soul mates planted firmly in your mind, which surprised me for such a young girl who has actually never found her soul mate, has never found the person to make her whole and has never found the person that she needs."

She shrugged. "It's just what I believe, condemn me if you must, but perhaps one day you will see. Perhaps I have found my soul mate, the missing half of myself, the part of me that has been empty, and I just don't even know it yet. Maybe I will realize it at the last moment, before its too late, before I miss out." She tucked her legs under herself on the couch and rested her head on the arm.

"Don't you dare fall asleep there, Miss Granger," he warned. But it was too late; she had already drifted off to sleep. He just loved how the little bitch was so great at dishing out advice when she hadn't had an ounce of experience in the topics she was spruiking. He also equally found it annoying that the little cow felt comfortable enough around him and brazen enough to just fall asleep in his chambers right next to him.

He put down his bottle of vodka and got to his feet, fetching a blanket he gently laid it over her lithe, sleeping form and he watched her for a few moments. Maybe she was right, maybe there was someone out there for him, maybe he could find redemption and maybe he could find love. But for now, he would just keep existing alone.

 **A/N: Another chapter done and dusted. I was overwhelmed by how many people followed this story after the last chapter. Thank you all so much.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	9. Chapter 9

Shattered  
Chapter nine

"Granger," Draco purred sidling up next to her at the Gryffindor table early one morning at breakfast straddling the long bench chair, it was early and they were one of the first few people in there.

"Yes, Malfoy?" she bit, sighing hard, she thought today was going to be a good day, but here he was to prove her wrong. The grip on her fork tightened as she pondered if she could use it as a weapon.

"I see the weasel was betrothed recently, he purred in her ear trying to garner a reaction from her.

"He was, yes, good on him," she had to force the words to fall from her lips as anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach threating to spew forth in a spray of harsh words.

"And I noticed you didn't go. Or were you not invited?"

"I don't see what any business of that is to you, Malfoy."

"Oh, sore spot. Obviously, you didn't get invited." He slid closer to her, his hot breath on her face as he knitted his brow together watching her intently.

Her fingers twitched on the fork for a moment. She was trying to stop herself from prying his eyeball out of its socket with it…

"With him out of the way, there is no reason why you and I couldn't get together… See where life takes us."

"You could be the last person on earth and I still wouldn't as you so eloquently put it 'see where life takes us."

"Come on Granger, you have nothing to lose and besides, you might find I am a delight to be around." He rested his hand on her bare knee, slowly wiggling his fingers under the hem of her skirt.

"I swear to Merlin, Malfoy if you don't remove your hand from my person at this instance, I will stab you with this fork." She brought her arm up high, fork glinting in the light, a large, warm hand grabbed her around the wrist gently and pulled the fork from her grip, dropping it on the table with a soft metallic clatter.

"Now, now, children, play nice," Severus Snape drawled smoothly looking down at the two other them as he dropped her hand, Draco retracted his hand from her leg like she was on fire.

"He was antagonizing me, Sir. And then he touched me inappropriately."

"I touched you on the knee that is hardly inappropriate," he argued.

"It is to me, she huffed."

I'd like to touch you inappropriately, Severus thought to himself before pushing the thought right to the back of his mind. He had to keep reminding himself that she was a student, he was a teacher, and he couldn't be having impure thoughts like that. He wasn't an old perve, but he could appreciate she was certainly blossoming from Gryffindor cub to fierce Lioness and add to that her brains and intellect she certainly was appealing.

"Draco, leave Miss Granger alone, Miss Granger please don't use the cutlery to commit murder on my watch. I am not sure how well these double as weapons but I assume it would take a while to cut through Mister Malfoys carotid artery with a butter knife and we don't have all day."

Draco stood and stormed off. He was going to get his way, he didn't care how long it took, no one said no to him.

-o-o-o-o-

Hermione Granger sat in the astronomy tower on the cold window ledge, her back and head resting against the stone window frame, legs tucked up almost against her chest as she watched over a sleeping Hogwarts, snow silently falling from the sky, powdering everything it could reach. Christmas was coming and this got Hermione somewhat down. She didn't have a family to spend time with and her friends still hadn't contacted her. It had been a few weeks since she had talked to Professor Snape and she felt more alone now than ever.

She thought perhaps he was distancing himself after she last fell asleep in his chambers after he had divulged what a horrible childhood he had. That had to be it. Because after that day he hadn't made an attempt to find her, or talk to her other than in the classroom when she had potions, and that for some stupid reason also upset her. She felt as if she had someone to confide in with him, she found after talking to him she felt better, like the weight on her chest had been lifted. She could breath easier and she could sleep.

Since he had been avoiding her (which she was sure of, despite having no substantial evidence) she had gone back to tossing and turning, to being unable to sleep. All night, every night thoughts would play in her mind, souring her mood. She would always think of Ron and the betrayal she felt that he didn't even invite her to his wedding. She was hurt that Harry hadn't even come to see her and tell her. She was hurt and she was angry and confused. Not even Ginny had told her and she shared a fucking common room with the bitch. Was it all some giant conspiracy theory to hide it from her?

She growled low in her throat as a tear slipped down her cheeks silently. She wished she could go back in time to the exact moment her life began to fuck up and she could fix it, she could walk another path and avoid the hardships and shortfalls she was facing now. If she knew this was going to happen she would have accepted Ron's proposal and married him, she would still have her friends and she wouldn't be alone, she would have someone and right now, anyone was better than no one.

"You could always take Draco up on his offer."

She let out a deep breath, scrubbing her palms over her face to try to hide her tears that were falling freely down her cheeks. "I'm not that desperate," she bit out as he came into view, standing before her in the darkened tower, orange glow of a cigarette tip illuminated in the inky-black darkness.

"I'm not that desperate- yet," she bit darkly, correcting herself.

"And yet, your thoughts say otherwise." He drew in on his cigarette before tossing it on the ground stepping on it.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop invading my privacy?" Crossing arms over chest she cast her gaze back over Hogwarts, the snow starting to fall harder.

"I don't always do it. Only sometimes when you are in deep thought and I am interested in what you are thinking."

"What do you want, anyway?" She asked with a little too much animosity in her voice. "Come to kill me and toss me off of here too?" She asked with a cold and angry bitterness in her voice.

"Wow. You don't hold back, do you?" He asked as he sat down on the window ledge beside her, his body brushing against her legs.

"Honesty is the best policy," She said with a mock tone and a forced smile.

"I was just wondering how you are, Miss Granger. It's been a while since I was in your company and I thought I might come and check on you."

"Why do you even care?" She spat bitterly.

"What's up your ass tonight, he asked casually?" Forgetting he was talking to a student. He had grown accustomed to her company and grown comfortable around her.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Nothing, at all. Nothing that concerns you and nothing you need to worry yourself about."

The truth was, she was pissed off that he hadn't talked to her and he hadn't made an effort to see her and she didn't know why it hurt her so, he was her teacher and she was his student, there was nothing going on other than that, yet she felt hurt and betrayed.

"If you say so." He pulled another cigarette from his robes, lighting the tip with his wand and drawing back on it.

"I know so." She rested her cheek against her knee looking at him.

"Indeed. Must you be so petulant?" He took another drag on the cigarette holding the smoke in his lungs for a few seconds before releasing.

"I'm not being petulant."

"You are. And childish." He flicked the smoke out the window and watched as it fell to the ground and extinguished in the thick blanket of snow on the ground.

She licked her lips as she watched him intently; he was interesting, dark and commanding. He was cold and he was calculating but he was also very reserved.

He watched her. She was uncertain of herself despite her abilities, she had somewhat grown into her self and wasn't completely unfortunate looking. She lacked confidence now more so than ever in her life. She was lackluster in anything she put her hand to, gone were the days when she was vivacious and outgoing.

Their eyes locked, her head still resting on her knee, Hermione wanted to break the gaze but his own gaze commanded hers, challenging her. Heat flushed into her cheeks and she was glad it was dark so he couldn't see her flush red. He felt something deep within him stirs, something he hadn't felt since he was with Lily. He wasn't sure if it was empathy he was feeling which was quite foreign to him, or something else, but the next thing he did, was done subconsciously and without any thought as if it came naturally.

He reached out and gently placed his hand on her head, stroking her auburn curls. She closed her eyes, relishing in his gentle touch.

It interested him that she didn't pull away and didn't tell him to go fuck himself. She seemed to enjoy the touch as if she welcomed it. Part of him wanted to pin her to the wall and shove his tongue down her throat, another part of him wanted to slide his cock into her tight, wet core and fuck her until she begged him to stop and another part of him wanted to take her in his arms and tell her everything would be ok.

She sucked in a shuddery breath and closed her eyes; she felt at ease, she felt carefree for a moment, she felt as if someone cared. She also felt like she wanted to crawl into his lap, wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him, just to see what his lips felt like on hers, to see how he tasted. But she knew his gesture was one of comfort and nothing more, she wanted it to be more. She needed the touch of another and she needed him. Holy shit. Did she really just think that? She didn't need him. She was just in a moment of weakness. She didn't need anyone, she certainly wasn't enjoying this at all she tried to tell herself, but she was lying and she knew it.

She sighed contently as they both sat in silence, just appreciating the others company. He knew right at the moment he blurred the line between teacher and student and what was right and what was wrong even more, but he didn't care. This was so right but it was so wrong, it felt right but he knew it was wrong. But did he care? Nope. It wasn't like he was going to bend her over the windowsill, thread his hand through her hair and fuck her from behind.

His fingers twitched at the thought, burying his fingertips into her hair a little as he stroked the soft, silky curls but he knew better. He knew whatever he wanted to do with her, whatever he may feel towards her would never in a million years be reciprocated, and he wondered for one fleeting moment if she was the missing half to make him whole. He pondered for just one second, what if she was the soul mate that he was searching for, that he was meant to be with. He pushed that stupid redundant thought out of his head and recoiled his hand slowly. That was stupid and he was stupid to think about it.

She looked disappointed when he took away his hand and the affection was gone. His touch alone was putting her at ease, making her feel safe and wanted and needed. She knew it wasn't right, she knew he was her teacher, nothing more, nothing less and that was how it was going to stay no matter how much she liked his touch.

She sat up and stretched, swinging her legs back over the edge of the window and placing them on the floor and stood up. "I guess I best be going."

He stood with her, smoothing his palms over his robes, straightening them up. She did the same to the shirt and jeans she was wearing under the thick, woolen cloak.

"Let me walk you back, Miss Granger."

She looked at him apprehensively before nodding her head in agreement. They walked in silence through the dimly lit halls of the castle, their shadows dancing on the walls, their footfalls barely audible on the cobblestone floor.

"Have you worked out what you are doing for Christmas, Miss Granger?" He asked as they slowly ambled along.

"I'll probably just stay here. I could go home, to the house my parents left behind but the thought of being alone and not having them there breaks my heart. Harry and Ron haven't made a single effort to contact me since Ron married that stupid, vapid cow."

"Could you have said that with any more animosity? And you told me you didn't care." He smirked.

"I don't care."

"You do. Your tone and the look on your face gave it away."

"Whatever you reckon," she huffed as their heads snapped to the right as they heard someone racing towards them.

"What is going on here?" Minerva came strolling up to them with urgency. A hint of anger laced in her tone. Why were Severus Snape and Hermione Granger walking the halls at two a.m. together?

"Nothing, Minerva," he bit dryly through gritted teeth. "Miss Granger had detention and the hours just passed right by us. I was just walking her back."

She cast him at accusatory gaze. Severus Snape had never let the time get the better of him when a detention was in order. He would count down to the last second before sending them on their merry way before he felt the urge to hex them to next week.

"Very well." She looked down her nose at the both of them, before walking past them, leaving them to continue on with their journey in silence.

She would have to keep a closer eye on them, something was amiss and she didn't like the feeling she was getting. Never had he ever lost track of the time and never would he ever escort Hermione Granger back to Gryffindor Tower. He would much sooner hex her than help; he would never, ever walk a student back to their dormitory.

Hermione pondered as they walked in silence, why did he lie to her? Why did he not just tell her the truth that she was out of bed and he found her? Was he protecting her from the repercussions that would have befallen her should the truth be known? This was interesting, very interesting.

A/N: Thank you, everyone, for the reviews, I really appreciate it. Slowly getting somewhere between the two of them, expect some more development between them soon. As I said, it was a slow burn from the start but now I have progressed in the story, more will be happening.

-Aliasmel1


	10. Chapter 10

Shattered

Chapter Ten

Hermione Granger rubbed her eyes groggily. She had managed to catch a few hours sleep and was now awake to see the snow falling heavily as it brought in a new day; Christmas day.

She sat up slowly, wiping her eyes looking around the empty dorm room, a feeling of sadness washed over her, this was the first Christmas she would be spending alone without Ron and Harry and without the warmth of the Burrow. She never did get an invitation to the burrow and she suspected it was because of the whole Ron marrying Lavender thing and to avoid conflict at an already sad time.

There were no owls bursting to get through her window and deliver her a barrage of Christmas cards and there were no presents at the end of her bed. This was going to be a terrible day she knew that much. Perhaps she would stay in bed the entire day only emerging for the Christmas feast where she would make an appearance so no one would send a search party and then she would spend the rest of her Christmas break holed up in her room and never emerging to see the light of day. That sounded perfect to her.

Crookshanks jumped on the bed landing on her chest heavily pulling her out of her stupor, staring down into her eyes purring contently as he curled up into a tight orange ball. Okay so at least someone cared about her, she smiled at the cat, running a hand softly through his long, ginger fur.

-o-o-o-o-

"Miss Granger," He purred seductively in her ear, his hot breath hitting her face and sent her weak at the knee's as she pulled herself up to full height trying to mask the fact he was having such an impact on her.

"Yes professor?" She breathed huskily back to him, pressing her body harder against his own as he pushed her up against the cold stone wall of his classroom, no space left between the two as he nipped playfully at her neck, sending Goosebumps along the entirety of her body.

"You've been a bad girl, haven't you, Miss Granger?" He questioned, sliding a hand down her skirt-clad thigh, stopping at the hem his hand twitched as his long, slender fingers slid beneath the material and touched her bare, milky skin.

"I have, Sir. I must be punished."

"Yes, you must." His lips crashed on hers hard, his hand cupping her ass hard pulling her even closer as he ground his hard cock into her thigh. Forcing his tongue into her mouth she shuddered against him. She tasted so fucking sweet, he couldn't wait to sink his hot length into her slick core and fuck the little Swot till she was screaming his name and coming all over his cock.

He broke the kiss, grabbing her chin with his free hand and forcing her gaze to meet his own. "You want me, don't you?" He demanded.

She met his gaze evenly, "I do," she whispered back.

Severus's eyes fluttered open, turning his head, his bed was empty, he shook his head trying to get the thought out of his head, it has felt so real, it had felt so amazing, she tasted fucking amazing.

The little bitch was worming her way into his fucking dreams and under his skin. This was immoral, this was wrong. He tried to tell himself. For fuck sake, he had first laid eyes on the insufferable little bitch when she was just almost twelve years old, and now, all these years later he was fantasizing about fucking her and doing terribly depraved things to her. He really ought to get his moral compass seen to, because right now, he wanted nothing more than to invite the bitch down, bend her over his desk and take her from behind while she screamed and begged for him to stop as he brought her to her release for the third time in a row.

Throwing the blankets off of himself he pulled himself up to full height, his erection pressing hard against his pajama pants.

"Merry fucking Christmas to me," he muttered bitterly doing the walk of shame to the shower. It had been a few years since he had bedded a woman and that had to be the reason he had the dream because never in a million years would he actually bring his dream to fruition and never would she wish to partake to bring his dreams a reality.

-o-o-o-o-

"Professor," Hermione smiled politely as she stopped to great the man after the feast, not far from the Great Hall.

"Miss Granger, how are you on this positively disgusting day?" He sneered, he hated Christmas and why shouldn't he, he had nothing to look forward too and no one to spend it with.

"Terrible," She huffed.

"Likewise," he offered.

She couldn't help but notice the sudden standard he had in personal hygiene, his hair was washed and his robes were fresh and clean and for once, he didn't reek of alcohol.

"No hide nor hair of tweedle dee and tweedle dum on this Christmas day?"

She shook her head sadly, "nope."

"Tragic," he offered a little too sarcastically.

"Well, Professor I best be off."

"Indeed."

Hermione tried to move from the spot in which she stood but there was some divine force holding her to the spot. She tried again but to no avail, her heart sunk and she looked up. Charmed fucking mistletoe, she would hex whoever left that there and it would be irreversible too.

"It seems we will not be parting ways unless we kiss," she said awkwardly looking to the floor but pointing up to the ghastly leaves of green adorned with red berries above her.

He growled shooting the monstrosity a hateful look. This had to be the work of Peeves, or Minerva or someone who fucking hated him. If it wasn't bad enough that he was dreaming about the bitch, now he was forced to press his lips to hers in a bid for his freedom, this was uncouth and ridiculously unfair.

He sighed, resigned to his fate, there was no way out of this he had tried many a time over the years in which he was unsuccessful in finding a way out of these.

He looked left and looked right if he was going to do this, he wanted to make sure no one could see him partake in the kissing of Hermione Granger, mostly because he knew he would be walking away from here with an erection.

A hand reached out to grasp her chin firmly as he tilted her head up to look at him, she blinked rapidly and licked her lips, she was going to have to kiss him to get away. Her heart raced and her palms became sweaty, on the outside she looked cool and calm but her insides were knotting and twisting in circles.

He had to stoop down quite a bit to reach her; she was only short in stature compared to him and his form that often towered over many others.

He pressed his lips to hers, she tasted as fucking good as he could have imagined, he could hear her breathing hitch in her throat. He stepped closer to her unintentionally, her arms found their way to his waist as she draped her arms casually around his midsection.

He tangled a hand in her hair softly as their lips pressed together in want and need. He didn't have to kiss her like this, a simple touch of the lips would have sufficed but something stirred within him and awoke. He was even more shocked that the girl had not pulled away in repulsion, in fact, she had stepped closer to him and embraced him. He knew this was wrong, he knew he should pull away but it had been so long since he had been in a woman's embrace since he had felt another's lips on his own that he didn't care. All caution was thrown to the wind as she melted against him.

She bit his bottom lip and sucked it gently, he had to put every ounce of effort into not bending the little Swot over and fucking her against the stone wall right here, there was no one around and so many alcoves he could drag her into.

He pulled away, both were breathless, she blinked at him as if trying to process what had happened, she didn't hate it.

Closing his eyes he had to mentally scold himself and step back from her putting a great distance between them.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Granger." He nodded curtly before rushing off before primal instincts took over and he fucked the girl.

"You too, Professor," She said in a ghostly whisper tracing her fingers feather light over her lips, what the hell just happened? Whatever it was, she liked it. Perhaps this Christmas didn't rank as one of the worst she had ever had.

No, he was her teacher, she was a student and no good could of this. Her eyes widened as reality set in; she liked Severus Snape the snarky Potions Master whom everyone disliked, whom everyone was scared of. She wasn't scared of him and she enjoyed his company. What the hell was she getting herself in to?

-o-o-o-o-

Boxing Day had rolled around and thus far, nothing exciting had happened for Hermione, she had just left the hall after eating a quiet dinner when she almost tripped in surprise because Harry Potter was walking up to her positively beaming.

"Hermione!" Harry Exclaimed strutting up to the girl and forcing her into an awkward and not at all reciprocated hug, her arms awkwardly hanging out at her sides horizontally.

"Harry," her voice was soft and even with an eeriness to it that Harry knew no good was going to come next, she was pissed.

"How dare you and Ronald ignore me!" She exclaimed loudly, "No invite to the wedding, no whisper of it happening, ignoring my owls for months on end. Ignoring me!" She screeched, stomping her foot to punctuate her displeasure. This, of course, caught the attention of the Positions Master who was casually strolling past to his chamber, with his interest piqued, he laid in wait in the shadows to see what would play out.

"Hermione, settle down." He held a hand up defensively running the other through his hair shakily.

"You got a bit crazy there, we were distancing ourselves, for fuck sake you punched me in the nose and broke it and rejected Ron's proposal. It would have been a bit fucking weird to have you at the wedding of the man you turned down, you know?"

"I went weird? Me? Are you even mentally all there Harry? You fucking came onto me, you tried to have your way with me! We had just finished fighting in a war and I am the weird one because I had a conscience, because I wanted to come back to school and finish my education?" She was poking him in the chest over and over again, each jab getting harder.

"Everyone could see it, Hermione. You lost your mind."

"I lost my…oh, my god, I can't even right now. What the hell Harry. You all are the ones who lost your minds, carrying on like nothing happened with a few million Galleons in your banks to sweeten the deal. Acting as if none of our friends died. I'm so sorry for caring, Harry. I'm so sorry for having compassion for those who died," She was sobbing now, tears streaming down her cheeks as Harry looked to the ground awkwardly, hoping this would be over.

She had fumbled for her wand in her jeans pockets and now pointed it threateningly at Harry. She didn't mean to do it but she was so upset all logic flew by the wayside and with the anger coursing through her body, she would have no qualms shooting him between the eyes with a killing curse. Eight years of fucking friendship thrown away for nothing.

"Miss Granger," Snape drawled as he stepped out from the shadows, both their heads snapping up to look at him. Casually he strode over to her, grabbing her wrist and gently taking her wand from her. "As much as it would give me great pleasure to see you kill Mister Potter, and I would reward the notion with many hundreds of house points, it would be tragic for such a young, intelligent witch to rot away in Azkaban. Come with me please, Miss Granger, I need to chat with you about your newts."

She tilted her head just so, going to protest and then realizing what he was getting at. He was trying to get her away from Harry.

"Oh, of course." She smiled through the tears that were still running down her cheeks.

"Potions, on boxing day?" Harry looked perplexed.

"Yes, Potter. Education doesn't stop just because a calendar holiday gets in the way, and unlike yourself, Miss Granger wishes to obtain an education and not Lord about getting by on her social status like other people." He sneered, as Harry went to protest. "I suggest you go see the Headmistress for whatever it is you are here for and stop antagonizing students. Good day, Mister Potter."

Snape led the way as Hermione trotted along beside him to keep up with his large strides all the way to his chambers where he ushered her and in she sat in the spot she was so well acquainted with, only this time he didn't take his usual post in the armchair beside her, instead he sat beside her gently and rested a comforting hand on her knee.

She smiled a watery smile, sniffling and sobbing still. "Can you believe the nerve of him?! Saying I am the one with the issues." She sobbed again holding her head in her hands, how dare he.

"I can believe it, nothing Potter does comes as quite the surprise that is used to come as. Now I prepare for the worst and hope for the best when it comes to dealing with the prodigal child, after all, he can do no wrong in the eyes of everyone."

"Thank you. For this, for everything." She smiled a sad smile as she stared into his inky-black eyes and for one fleeting moment a smile crossed his lips and vanished as quick as it appeared. "Thank you for being a friend, for being the only one here for me when no one else was." she rested her hand on his knee and squeezed gently showing her appreciation.

"You are very welcome, Miss Granger, " he said coolly, but on the inside, his stomach was doing backflips, she actually considered him a friend? It had been years since he had a friend… That was, he was unsure if he had ever really had a friend at all.

 **A/N: Hey guys. I had a few people ask me why Draco was showing an interest in Hermione when she was a Mudblood. A few things… But first and foremost… It's an extra-added plot point to bulk out the story but there was said to be some attraction from Draco towards Hermione in the canon world. Also, his father is now in jail and what better way to show their family has well and truly changed allegiances than to welcome a 'Mudblood' into the family.**

 **Again, thank you for the reviews and the follows; I hope this chapter gave you just enough fluff between the characters to keep you going.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	11. Chapter 11

New Year's Eve had very quickly graced them with its presence and Hermione and Severus had been spending more and more time together as friends. She found herself just sitting with him in his chambers as they both sat in silence reading a book basking in one another's company. Whilst nothing had been said about the kiss they had shared on Christmas Day, the thought was always at the forefront of Hermione's mind. She liked it, and she wouldn't say no to doing it again but she had to remind herself he was her teacher and nothing more, nothing less.

Hermione was sitting on his couch, with her legs tucked up beneath her, book in hand. She had taken to breaking down his wards and inviting herself in, and the truth was… He didn't mind. He liked finding her there tucked up on his couch and he was only angry that she wasn't tucked up in his bed naked and a come hither look on her face, that was the true tragedy here.

It gave him great joy to walk in and see her so serenely sitting there getting lost in the world of the book she was reading, watching her face contort as she soaked in every word she read.

They had taken to having breakfast and lunch together in his chambers, dinner in the Great Hall and then back to his chambers where they would talk until the early hours and she would fall asleep where she sat. He would tuck her in and leave her to sleep. The truth was many times he had thought about carrying her to his bed and letting her sleep there but his head was ruling his heart and it was hard. He was sad that the Christmas break was coming to an end and that would mean she would be relegated back to her to chambers for fear of sparking rumors about them that were simply not true. It was ok for her to spend every waking moment with him right now when just about the entire school were on break, but once they were back and especially once Draco was back, that could spell disaster for them both.

He was sitting near her, a seat between them, casting glances at her every so often. He liked the girl he wouldn't deny that she was loyal and courageous and treated him well but he couldn't get past her subtle beauty and attraction. She wasn't a glamour by any stretch of the imagination but to him, she was perfect, from her know-it-all attitude to the bushy auburn locks she had learned to tame a little better as the years went on.

He wanted nothing more than to take her hand, look deep into her eyes and tell her how he truly felt about her. Fuck, his stomach did a backflip every time she looked at him, licking her sweet lips absentmindedly before she smiled at him the sweetest smile he had ever seen. That is when his stomach would flip, his heat would flutter and his desire for her would spark.

He knew she only saw him as a friend and nothing more and nothing less which made his heart clench with disappointment inside of his chest every time he thought about it, although it was probably for the best because teachers and students shouldn't be romantically intertwined even though she was more than legal age to do so but it would raise eyebrows and questions that he didn't really want to be answering on the matter.

She stretched her legs out, tucking her feet under his thighs. The brazen cow had no issues at all touching him or speaking her mind or telling him how she felt. He only wished that she touched him more because right now with her feet under his thighs he felt content at just the smallest touch from her. He had even gone as far as drinking less in her presence because her just being there made him feel better, made him feel human and it made him feel normal again.

"Are you quite right there, Hermione?"

Her head snapped up to look at him, brows knitted together, since when did he ever call her by her first name?

Before he could stop the words falling from his lips, they had been said and his heart backflipped and raced at what she may say in reply, but he needn't worry because she only smiled broadly in response.

"I was wondering when you will stop being so formal with me seeing as we spent so much time together." She pressed her toes hard into his thighs mockingly.

"You could have started calling me Severus and I would have followed suit and called you Hermione." He absentmindedly rubbed her leg softly.

"What, and have you sneer and stalk off in one of your temper tantrums? Going on about rudeness and how I should know my place because I am just a lowly student." She closed her eyes at the feel of his hand on her leg, the gentle caresses assuring her deep inside that everything was ok in the world. In her world, anyway, which right now consisted of just the two of them and she liked that very, very much.

"I don't have temper tantrums, Hermione. And you aren't a lowly student as you so eloquently stated. You are probably one of the only people in this place I can tolerate."

"Oh, what would you call them then?" she smiled sweetly at him, eyelids fluttering half closed at the gentle touch on her leg, slightly taken aback that she was one of the one people he could tolerate. "And wasn't it you who called me an insufferable know-it-all?" She harrumphed.

He chose to ignore her, instead of casting his gaze back to the book he was trying to read, still rubbing her leg softly, his eyes were looking at the words but he could absorb anything that he was reading. It was taking all of his willpower and concentration not to press his lips to hers in need and it was killing him deep inside.

She watched him intently watching his book, his eyes darting from side to side and up and down, inky black hair curtaining his face as he perused the pages with gusto, or at least that is what it looked like. She was thankful she had him in her life, to just have someone who knows how you feel, to help you through tough times was almost like therapy.

He felt her looking at him and shifted under her gaze uncomfortable, eyes still scanning the page but still, nothing was processing in his brain, to him, the words were fuzzy and melted into the pages. He couldn't take it any longer; slowly he looked up at her. "Do you not have anywhere else to be than sitting here staring at me all damn day?" He threw on a half-hearted sneer for good measure.

"Nope," She said popping the p, watching him as he set his book on the coffee table, his hand now rested on her knee gently.

"You may as well take up residence down here, Merlin knows you spend enough time here with me," he mused shooting her a glance and he could see her mind was ticking over and calculating the probabilities of it actually happening.

"If only," She whispered sadly with a sigh. She would love to be down here with him, the closeness made her feel safe and happy there was no denying that.

-o-o-o-o-

Later that night, nearing midnight and the full moon hung lazily in the air, the two of them slowly ambled around the shore of the Great Lake to bring in the New Year, snow lay like a thick blanket on the ground, the two of them wrapped in heavy woolen cloaks to ward off the cold night air that was trying with all its might to bite at their pale skin.

Their footfalls softened by the snow which proved sort of difficult to walk in, her legs working overtime to keep up with his almost effortless strides as they walked in silence, neither wanting to talk and basking in the company of the other.

They found a clearing with small boulders decorating the shore and she decided to clamber up on to get a better look out over the darkened lake bathed in silvery moonlight. She loved Hogwarts and all it had to offer and she loved just staring out at the lake. All of her worries and anger seemed to melt away as she watched the calming water lapping at the icy shore.

Severus took her hand to steady her on the icy rock when she heard a bang followed by bright colored lights. Fucking someone was letting off fireworks she managed to think to herself as she was caught off guard she jumped slightly falling backward as her feet slipped on the tractionless surface, taking Severus with her they both landed with a soft thud in the snow, he atop of her. Placing a hand either side of her to prop himself up he looked down slightly amused.

"Happy New Year, Hermione," His voice low and husky, coal black hair hanging limply around his face, hard black eyes searching warm chocolate ones for any hint of the desire he was feeling right now, he saw a flicker as she licked her lips slowly. He bit his own bottom lip to try to snap himself back to reality, his heart clenching in his chest with want and desire, he needed this, he needed her.

So, he did what any normal, straight male would have done in this situation, he kissed her, and he meant it.

Her eyes widened for a moment before she snapped them shut, his soft lips on her own felt amazing as she enjoyed every second their lips touched together. He took the lead, his lips gently caressing her own. She didn't even care she was lying in the ice-cold snow right now, as a cold dampness on her back crept through the thick material, she couldn't even process that in her head, truth be known she could hardly process in her mind how to breathe let alone anything else.

Her head swirled and her heart began to beat faster, if that was what heaven was like, she would have no qualms in dying when the time came. He bit her bottom lip gently, she mewled against his lips opening her mouth, his warm, gentle tongue found hers as they battled together for victory. Every feeling of, want, need, desire, the passion was heightened and show in her kiss, every feeling of hatred and loathing that she felt in her body was slowly fading away and all of a sudden nothing mattered at this moment, in this moment, everything was perfect and she was truly happy.

He broke the kiss, both breathless, his eyes searching hers once again, expecting to see loathing disgust and pity; he reeled a little when he saw none. He still saw the saw flicker of want and desire in her eyes as when he first laid his lips on her own. Sweet fucking Merlin he needed to get up before he fucked the little Chit right here in the snow.

Staggering to his feet he helped her up, happy but ashamed he let his feeling get the better of him. He shouldn't have done it, but he didn't and he certainly didn't regret it.

"Happy New Year indeed," she whispered barely audible. He only smirked in response, yes, Happy New Year indeed.

"Let me walk you back to your room," he offered. She only nodded in response.

He knew if he didn't take her back, he would fuck her all night and into the early hours of the next morning and there was no coming back from that.

-o-o-o-o-

Teaching had resumed and he was as sour and hateful now as he had ever been. Not only did he have to deal with all the inept morons once again that didn't care for the subtle art of Potion Making, but he was severely bitter that Hermione hadn't been down to see him. He wanted nothing more than to enter his chambers after a long, tiring day to see her sitting there, book in hand and her feet tucked beneath her. So he was even more annoyed when Minerva called him into her office when he just wanted to go drown his sorrows in his bottle of Ogden Finest.

"Miss Granger seems a little attached to you," Minerva stated, looking over her glasses at him in an accusing way, pacing backward and forwards behind her large wooden desk the soft tapping of her footfalls could be heard in the almost silent room.

"Hermione?" He questioned. "She does spend a fair amount of time with me lately," his voice was even and cool.

"Hermione? First name basis now I see." She frowned disapprovingly at him.

"Is that a problem?" He asked, jutting his chin out as if willing her on to reprimand him.

"Possibly," She said simply. "I see the way you look at the girl, you look just as taken with her as she does with you." She stopped to glare at him for a moment.

"I like the girl," He confirmed.

He watched as her face contorted from worry to a frown and she sat back down.

"Has anything happened between the two of you? Sexually, I mean."

He shook his head, who the hell asked those types of questions? "No, Minerva. It's strictly a platonic relationship between the two of us." He sighed sadly; he hardly counted the two kisses as romantically involved. One was under sufferance and the other was totally accidental and probably shouldn't have happened and they had never spoken a word about either after the fact.

"Do you want to take it from platonic to romantic?" she asked stoically.

His face upturned into a sneer. What kind of business was that to her?

"I am a male, I have a beautiful young witch who hangs on every word I say and spent more time with me than not for the past two weeks. I could whisper a few sweet nothings into her ear and she would be in my bed begging me to fuck her, and you don't think I haven't thought about going further? Of course, I have, I think about it every fucking day. Every day it kills me to watch her or interact with her and not touch her, not tell her how I really feel about her, that for once in my fucking life I am happy and I am only happy because she wormed her way under my skin and into my heart."

"Of everyone in the world, you had to pick her." She sighed sadly.

"I didn't pick her. Fate led us to each other. We both needed each other."

"You are walking a tightrope right now between what is right and what is wrong, the lines between teacher and student are beginning to melt into each other really fast, Severus and I worry. I know you have strong feelings toward her but do you really want to put your job and career on the line for the hope of a shot at love with a student?"

"You think I care about my job, Minerva? I couldn't give a flying fuck if the board of directors stormed in here right now and fired me, in fact, I would welcome it because then I could stop debating with myself about morals and I could tell the little witch how I feel about her and maybe, just maybe I would have one shot at love in my life. Just one. Do you so desperately want to deny me happiness, Minerva?"

"I am not denying you happiness," she bit out through clenched teeth. "I just don't think it is right, you know how fast news travels if this were to get out. You know they wouldn't see it the way you do. They would see it as you lording your power over Miss Granger-"

"Hermione," He interjected.

"Yes, Hermione. You don't think for one minute anyone is actually going to think she likes you for you? They are going to assume you have put her under the Imperious curse. What would a young, bright witch like her see in a troubled wizard seeking redemption such as yourself?"

"Wow. No holding back there, Minerva." He sneered. "The papers would lap it up, the amazing Hermione Granger finds love and solitude in Severus Snape, former Death Eater, hero-"

"Hero!" She exclaimed. "You barely got out of going to Azkaban, you scraped through by the skin of your teeth."

"Oh, that's right. Because I don't fall under the same category as Saint Potter, I am not worthy of that status. I forgot he had done much more for the war than I ever did, tangling a web of lies and deceit to lay way so Dumbledore's plans could come to fruition, what a terrible person I must be."

"I'm not saying that…"

"No, you are implying it."

"Look. Just don't do this. Wait until she graduates. Once that clock ticks over from the thirtieth of June, to the First of July you can confess your undying love to the girl. If you can't wait I will have no choice but to tear your contract up and terminate your employment within the school."

"Is that a threat, or a promise?" He quirked a brow.

"A promise." She pursed her thin lips together, surely he would be stupid enough to do such a thing.

"And I assume you have a line of Potion's Masters bashing down the front door of Hogwarts to replace me?" His voice a low growl, eyes narrowed into slits.

"Well… No."

"So it's an empty threat then?"

"I will do it," She warned sternly.

"So, do it then. You would be doing me a favor and I would forever be free of this prison."

"Severus," she warned.

"You know for a fact I wouldn't be the only member of faulty to have a romantic tryst with a student." He slammed his fists down on the desk, anger flashing in his black eyes as he loured at her.

"That was years ago Severus and it was dealt with swiftly and silently."

"After months of it going on," He muttered coldly as he got to his feet. "I'm going. I don't need to be interrogated over this! She is nineteen fucking years old Minerva, she can make up her own mind and I shouldn't be reprimanded for it. She is of age, there is nothing wrong with this other than your worry about the impact it would have on your image!" He snarled, turning on the spot and stalking out of her office, irate and seething.

 **A/N: Oh my god, you guys are the best. Way to feel someone feel loved and appreciated with all of the reviews, faves and follows.**

 **Poor Severus, he really does like her… Well, I guess they both like one another but don't really think it could go further, we all know it will.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing it… I had the confrontation with Minerva written for quite a few weeks now and was basing most of the chapters to lead up to that one moment.**

 **I think in the next few chapters Harry and Ron will make an appearance and Draco might even get to spend some quality time with her.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	12. Chapter 12

He didn't really give a rats ass if he lost his job, he knew they would soon come crawling back when no one else was stupid enough to take up the position of Potions Master, not to mention there were very few qualified to actually teach the position. Maybe she could call in a favor off Harry fucking Potter the golden boy, the chosen one, the fucking prodigal child. He was so fucking great at everything apparently so maybe the little cunt could take up his post.

He had managed to stalk all the way down to his chambers without interruption, but that was probably because he looked like he was about to murder the next person who as much as glanced his way.

Hatred and anger radiated off of him as he threw himself down on the couch, with such force, it skidded back a few inches.

Opening a bottle of whiskey he pressed it needily to his lip, downing half a bottle in two gulps. Had he been paying more attention, he would have noticed Hermione sitting next to him, eyeing him off apprehensively, book in her grip, feet tucked under her, gracing the spot she had clearly claimed as her own.

Dropping the bottle from his lips he slammed it on the table, only pulled from his reverie when she cleared her throat, causing him to jump and his heart skip a beat.

"Don't fucking do that again, you near gave me a heart attack" he bit.

"Sorry," She replied meekly, eyeing him off. "What's upset you?" She pushed, she had known him long enough and spent enough time with him lately to know when he was angry, and this was like nothing she had seen in a very, very long time.

"Nothing of your concern, Hermione." Her name fell from his lips so easily and so naturally, smooth as silk as if he had been calling that the entire time he had known her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked, sitting back, his body pressing against hers they were so close. He wanted nothing more than to press his lips to hers, tell her how he felt and then fucked the girl senseless. Who cared what anyone thought, she was of age; he was a grown fucking man who could do as he pleased so why was he holding back. Was it fear of rejection? Fear that perhaps she didn't feel about him the way he perceived in his mind. All he really had to go on was two kisses and the fact she spent more time with him than without of late and surely that counted for something.

"Have you seen this?!" She exclaimed in a huff, fishing into a hidden pocket of her school skirt and producing a piece or parchment, waving it in his face rapidly.

"Well, I can't read it if you keep waving it around like a neurotic Niffler." He snatched the paper from her; brows knitting together followed by an eye roll as he passed it back to her.

"They are going to expect me to go and I'm not," she said defiantly, jutting her chin out and folding her arms tightly across her chest like a petulant child who was being forced to do something that they didn't want to.

"I dare say you have no choice."

She rested her head on his chest sadly, listening to the gentle rhythm of his heart as it beat a song along with the gentle one-two of his breath.

He tangled long fingers in brown curls, gently stroking her head over and over again. Lids fluttered shut in response to his touch.

"They will be there. Harry and Ronald and I don't want to face them. Not now, not ever," Her voice wavered as if she were on the brink of crying as she spoke. She never wanted to see them again for as long as she lived, and quite frankly, she didn't care if she ever saw them again.

She honestly couldn't believe that there was going to be a ball to celebrate the victory of the war and mourn the loss of the fallen so soon after while the wounds were still open and raw. While people still openly mourned the death of their loved ones.

It was incomprehensible that they would be having a celebration alongside a memorial; the two just should not go together.

She sighed in frustration, rubbing a hand over her face, this was both illogical and frustrating and she hated it.

"I refuse to go."

"You have no choice, Hermione. You will be expected to be there front and center with the two of them, after all, it isn't the golden trio without Hermione Granger."

"I wish I could go with someone that would annoy them and make them angry. Harry and Ron that is, I want to see them hurt like they hurt me."

"May I suggest Draco?"

"May I suggest you?" She countered with a raise of a brow, a smile tugging at her pink lips. That would truly get brows raised and tongues wagging.

"I don't think that would be wise…" He trailed off, thinking about the conversation he had just had with Minerva. "Minerva would fucking have kittens," he bit, reaching for the bottle again and drinking some of the contents down once more.

"What's that supposed to mean, has she said something to you?"

"Has she said something to you?" He reiterated, looking down at her accusingly, fingers still tangled in long locks

"No. What makes you think that?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously from where her head rested on his chest, wondering what he could possibly be talking about.

"Nothing, forget it." He sighed sadly, feel more content now with the little witch lying upon his chest than he had ever felt in his entire life and the only thing that was stopping him from pursuing anything more than a friendship was a cranky old witch dangling his teaching contract in front of him and threatening to tear it up. The truth was he didn't even need the job; he had been toying with the idea of leaving and opening his own store brewing potions and selling ingredients. It was only the what if's that were holding him back from doing so. What if the business was a failure? What if no one wanted to buy from a former Death Eater?

At least working here he had the security of a long-term job and a steady income, if he branched out on his own he would totally be reliant on his savings until such time the business started turning a profit if that would even happen.

"It's not nothing, I know when you are lying so don't try pulling that shit on me Severus Snape," She warned sternly.

He chuckled at the witch's totally brazen attitude, she had no qualms in telling him off or telling him how it was. She was totally comfortable with him and he with her.

"Fine. But you can't breathe a word of it to anyone. I honestly don't know how you extract information from me so easily."

A malicious glint flickered in her eyes and dissipated as soon as it had shown itself and in one quick motion, she was straddling him, hands on his chest.

Sweet fucking Merlin what the fuck was she doing?

"That's because you love me," she purred softly against his ear, hot breath like a welcome breeze over his face.

Well, thanks for stating the obvious, he thought to himself as his eyes closed momentarily in bliss.

"I do not," He bit dryly through clenched teeth, telling a bold-faced lie while trying to stop his cock from hardening and showing his true desire for the girl.

"Are you going to tell me what she said?"

"I could, but then that will totally change where this is going right now and I don't know if I can bear to stop you from groping me while in this compromising position." He smiled wickedly at her, grasping her hips tight and holding her lithe frame.

"You know you want to tell me." She pressed a soft kiss to the nape of his neck followed in hot pursuit by another and another.

He groaned in response, if she fucking kept that up, he would tell her anything and give her what she wanted and he would be fucking her six ways from Sunday as well.

"Please, Professor?" Her voice a husky whisper as she peppered his jawbone with tender kisses.

So the little Swot wanted to play that game, did she? She was heading the right way for the best fucking of her life and he wouldn't give a fucking shit if he were out of this castle for the rest of his life. Perhaps it was time to explore other avenues?

"You better fucking watch it, Miss Granger, I suggest you remove yourself from my person at this instance unless you wish to go much, much further than you already are. Before you know it you will be in my bed and we won't be fucking sleeping I can assure you that."

"I will take my chances." A smile tugged at her lips, as a mischievous look flashed across her features. She knew exactly what she was doing and she knew exactly what she wanted. She was sick of waiting for him to make a move. All over the Christmas break, she had been throwing out glaring hints that she wanted him and she thought either he was ignoring them or he liked men.

Right up until this moment he had displayed so much self-control, for weeks and weeks he chastised himself and kept himself in order, he managed to keep his hands off of the girl for the most part, but now, now, she was dangling the proverbial carrot in his face and he didn't think he could resist chasing it.

If the little bitch hadn't climbed atop him all seductive like he would have had more than enough self-control to stop himself but now with all of his blood racing to his cock and stopping him from making logical decisions with his brain he didn't think he could stop himself. It wasn't every day you had a young, beautiful witch straddling you while she seduced you and right now, he was going to give her one hundred percent for effort and if he could, he would have awarded Gryffindor one thousand points for being well skilled in the art of seduction, this clearly wasn't her first rodeo.

"I've been so bad, Professor, and I think I need to be punished," She said as she looked at him with a sultry look in her eye.

Fuck this shit, he was done, he would go and tear his own contract up because right now, he didn't give a fucking shit about it. He was going to fuck the young, sultry, beautiful witch who was seducing him and right now his job paled in comparison.

"You know there is no coming back from this, Hermione?" Seriousness dripped from his every word as he watched the young witch before him with innocent lust-filled eyes who clearly didn't know what she was getting herself into with him because he was complicated and he had more baggage than Heathrow airport, but who was he to deny her? She was old enough to make her own informed choices and she was highly logical and could think for herself.

"I know." She pressed her lips gently to his.

He removed his hands from her hips, running them under the hem of her school skirt, cupping an ass cheek with either hand causing her breath to get caught in her throat and she broke the kiss.

"Do you have any idea what kind of implications this will cause, Hermione? Not only with us but with everyone directly and indirectly associated with us?"

"I know. I've thought about that all and this is what I want. I want you. Unfortunately, I can't help whom I develop feelings for and you just happened to be that person. All the time we have spent together hasn't really helped the issue but the heart wants what the heart wants. I don't care what anyone else thinks. Not to mention I am currently turned on beyond measure and if you don't have your way with me and you send me on my merry way, I may just have to find Draco and let him be of service."

He growled low in his throat angrily, "That won't be necessary." He pushed her off gently, pulled them both to their feet and he led the way to his bedroom. He couldn't resist that dangling carrot any longer.

-o-o-o-o-

Gasping for air as her head spun she really couldn't believe that after all of this time, all of this waiting she was finally here with him, getting as close as two people possibly could.

Her nails dug hard into the flesh of his shoulder, leaving half crescent indents in his skin, adding to the smattering of many scars he already had there from years of taking the brunt of many a curse from Voldemort and Death Eaters alike.

Cold eyes meeting warm ones, each locked onto one another as the pace quickened, threatening to spill them both over the edge and into euphoria. She was so fucking perfect he couldn't believe he could finally partake in the indulgent that was Hermione Granger, and it was much, much better than he had thought it would be.

Her breath stuck hard in her throat, nails digging in once again, mouth slightly agape his lips ghosted over hers as he brought her over the edge with a shuddery breath and he couldn't help but follow suit as her velvety walls held onto him like a vice grip, milking his cock for every drop it had to offer. He rolled off and the two lay in a pleasure-induced stupor, only the heavy heaving broke the silence in the room.

She was the first to speak. "The mattress is comfortable, way better than mine."

He didn't know if he should laugh or cry. "I just fucked you and your first comment is about the mattress? Either I was really, really bad or this is an incredibly comfortable mattress."

She flushed crimson, "Sorry, I have a tendency to just speak of what I am thinking about. You really were great, not that I have much to compare you with…. Not that I should be comparing but it's just that… Sorry I am rambling now." She rested her head back on his chest, pulling the covers over the both of them.

"And who exactly do you have to compare me too?"

"Harry and Ron…" She trailed off, looking at the wall.

"At the… at the same time?" He managed to choke the words out, maybe there was more to Hermione Granger than met the eye.

"Oh, Merlin no. I mean during the few weeks Ronald vanished when we were looking for Horcruxes, Harry and I didn't have much else to do really… We both became quite proficient in the art of intercourse. Of course, Ron doesn't know what happened and he probably never will. Once he came back it sort of ruined the blossoming relationship that was happening between us, if he didn't come back I dare say I would probably be married to Harry Potter right now."

"Indeed," he managed to force out, his jaw locking with anger and he had no idea why it's not like he could go and turn back time but the thought of her with someone else greatly soured his mood. "So there was something between you and Potter then?"

"There was, yes. But we decided to end it amicably because neither of us wanted to hurt Ron, and what a fat lot of good that done anyway," viciousness intertwined within her words.

"So the time Weasley left you and you punched Potter in the face, why didn't you just reignite the old flame and go back to him?" His voice a low rumbled against her ear pressed against his chest.

"By then too much had happened between us and I didn't think there was any going back honestly, he had his new life, I was coming back here and I just didn't really think it would have worked out between us. I mean by that stage it was pretty clear he wasn't ready to be saddled with commitment when he could flaunt his newfound status around and land any girl in bed with him."

"I see," Were the only words he spoke. He was thankful that she didn't end up with Potter or she wouldn't be lying here with him now.

"So will you come to the ball with me?" She changed the subject, turning her head just so to capture his gaze.

"I don't think that would be wise Hermione, not yet, anyway. I don't think the world would be ready for one-third of the Golden Trio to be in a romantic tryst with a former Death Eater. Ask Draco, go with him, they will positively piss themselves when you show up with him."

"But he was a Death Eater too," she protested.

He chuckled. "Hardly. He may have worn the mark of the darkness but he didn't actually do anything wrong really. His record pales considerably compared to mine of Murder and treachery."

"Fine, I will wait for Draco to ask me."

"You're confident." He raised a brow in question.

"You see the way he watches me and tries to corner me, I daresay I will have an offer at the next opportune moment he has."

"Indeed."

"Oh, and Severus."

"Yes?"

"Happy Birthday." She smirked.

He paled, how did the little Swot know?

Best. Birthday. Ever.

-o-o-o-o-

Minerva scowled hard at dinner that night when she realized both Severus and Hermione were absent from the meal. She didn't like this she didn't like this at all. Especially after she had just had a stern talk to with him about it all and here he was clearly defying her and her wishes.

Hermione could do much better than Severus, he was a former Death Eater, and he had killed more people than he had had hot breakfasts, he was crude and he was dour, and he was certainly probably not the right person for a young vivacious young girl who had the world at her fingertips.

She had put up with a lot from Severus, his blatant disregard for her authority and his blazingly clear alcoholism that she turned a blind eye to because he wasn't hurting anyone except himself but this… She didn't think she could sit idly by while he whispered sweet nothings into the girl's ear, lured her in and then unceremoniously break her heart in an instant. Severus was a loner, Severus didn't love and he certainly didn't deserve to break Hermione Granger. She just hoped the girl was smart enough to realize what she was getting herself into because from what she knew, Severus Snape would not be a good fit for the girl.

 **A/N: Another chapter done and dusted. It was not going to go in that direction, I had planned on making them wait for another few chapters but it sort of just wrote itself once she climbed into his lap, she wasn't meant to seduce him but something these stories tend to write themselves and I just go with it.**  
 **I was going to do a total fade to black during the sex scene but decided for a subtle fade to grey and give you a little something.**

 **And seeing as I am in such a great mood, I released this chapter early.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	13. Chapter 13

He watched as she walked into the hall that morning for breakfast, a small smile tugged at her lips and she perhaps looked the happiest he had seen her since she had returned to the school to finish her education. She almost skipped to the table that morning and piled her plate with enough food that it would have put even Ron to shame. It was safe to say that perhaps he was healing Hermione Granger, or was Hermione Granger healing him? Perhaps, they were healing each other.

She looked up, their gazes meeting for a moment, he raised a brow in acknowledgment even though they had only parted ways a forty minutes before when she sprung from his bed proclaiming she needed to shower and put on fresh clothes. He had protested and wanted to take a sick day and lay there with her all day but she logically pointed out that had they both been missing at dinner and they had both been missing the entire next day that someone would notice and people would come looking, then the secret would be out and shit would get real. Ok, so she put it much more eloquently than that, but that was the gist of it.

He finally did tell her that Minerva had hauled him into her office and basically tore shreds off of him chastising him and telling him to keep his hands off of the girl or he would lose his job to which she just scoffed, rolled her eyes and told him she would sort her out if need be and he had no doubt that she would. She was a little spitfire when need be and she wasn't scared to back down from anyone, especially not Minerva. The little Gryffindor Lioness wasn't scared to stand up for what she wanted to and she wasn't one to back down from a fight and protect those who she cared about.

"Where did you wander off to last night, Severus? Your absence at dinner was noticed." Minerva cast a sideward glance at him to which he offered her a sneer and tried to ignore her.

"And where was Miss Granger? I'm sure you know the answer to that one too," She pressed which just angered him.

"Why don't you fucking ask her, Minerva? I'm not her keeper and I don't have a tracker on her, if you wish to know where she was I suggest you go and ask her yourself and I daresay you will get an answer with just as much animosity off her because she is a grown woman at nineteen years old, heading on twenty and she doesn't need you to be keeping track of her," His voice a low hissed angry whisper as he threw the toast down he had in his hand on the plate. Suddenly his appetite was gone, he stood up and walked away, anger radiating off of him. Way to fucking sour his mood.

Hermione knew they must have exchanged a few heated words over her because they had both looked at her during the short but angry conversation and she knew Minerva must have had something to say to him about them being missing from dinner last night, not that is was any of her business.

Draco Malfoy sauntered up to her and dropped into the seat beside her. She closed her eyes, prayed for Merlin to give her strength, plastered on a smile and turned to him.

"Yes, Malfoy?" She said in a faux cheery tone.

"How's one-third of the golden trio this morning?" He practically purred in her ear as he slid closer to her.

"Better than you could ever imagine." She smirked and raised a brow.

"What's that meant to mean?" He cocked his head to the side wonder about the amusement tangled in her tone.

"Nothing." She could hardly contain a Cheshire cat grin that was forcing its way onto her face.

"It doesn't sound like nothing." He looked at her with an accusing eye.

"It has something to do with Snape, doesn't it?" It was now his turn to smirk as her face fell and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. She took in a deep breath as she tried to compose herself, put on the most passive expression she could and let out a snort of derision. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Malfoy, now are you here for a reason, or did you come over here to interrogate me?"

"Why not both?"

"I don't have time for this, Malfoy, we both have Potions in twenty minutes."

"Ok, fine. Will you come to the ball with me? And if you say no, I will keep asking in any ways or means possible, each proposal getting more public and more embarrassing until you are so mortified you have no choice but to say yes."

"Yes."

"And- what?" He asked with an upward inflection, surprise ebbing into his every word.

"Yes, I will go to the ball with you, Malfoy. It's already embarrassing and mortifying having you sitting here next to me, I guess your plan worked. "

He sneered, what a cheeky bitch. "Draco," he offered, if they were going to go to the ball together the lead she could do was call him by his given name instead of being so formal all of the time.

"Malfoy," She repeated.

"You are only going with me to rub Potter and Weasley up the wrong way, aren't you."

"Of course I am. Am I that transparent?"

"You are."

"I want to see them squirm."

"Then squirm they shall do." He stood and walked back to the Slytherin table, a small smile playing on his lips. It would give him great pleasure in watching Potter and Weasel squirm.

-o-o-o-o-

At potions that morning Draco had walked in to see Hermione already sitting in the classroom, her things unpacked and ordered neatly on the desk as usual. Nothing was ever out of place. Snape sat at his own desk at the front of the room, barely registering that Draco had entered and Neville sat silently in the back corner minding his own business.

He flung his bag onto the table and sat beside her. She cast him a glance, their gazes catching for a moment before she tore hers from his harshly.

"Do you have somewhere else to be?" She asked him, scratching her arm absentmindedly.

"Nope."

She turned to face him looking him up and down biting her lip, she leaned in close to him.

"I'd love to do bad things to you Draco Malfoy," Her voice a low, husky whisper, undertones of seduction laced into them for good measure. This caught Severus's attention, as he turned his head just slightly to watch them without being too conspicuous.

"Like…Like what," he stammered, his voice catching in his throat at the seductive glimmer in her eye as he pink tongue swiped sexily at her bottom lip.

"Like break your fucking neck, now leave me to do my work, please," Her tone bordering on amusement and anger.

He looked offended and then he looked just plain amused and barked out a fit of laughter, which caused Severus to look up from his desk.

"Mister Malfoy there are twenty other chairs in this classroom and yet you seem to almost be sitting in Miss Granger's lap, remove yourself at once and find your own table. She doesn't need you hanging off of her like a needy puppy and if you cannot bear to remove yourself from her person I am more than happy to give you both detention together. Now, start your Draught of Peace, the instructions are on the board."

He grumbled as he grabbed his things and relocated to the back of the room on his own. Although… Detention with her might not have been so bad.

"Excuse me, Professor?" Hermione asked in an almost sing-song voice.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"I was wondering if I could brew the draught of the living dead for my final potion to be assessed for my newts?"

"It is an extremely difficult potion, Miss Granger and one wrong move could see you end up in the hospital wing permanently incapacitated."

"I'm willing to take that risk, _sir_." She raised a brow as if willing him to deny her the chance to make it. She knew he wouldn't because he knew that later on when they were all alone once again she would have to qualms in setting him straight.

He couldn't resist the little chit, he was going to let her brew whatever the fuck she wanted and he would stand by her watching over her protectively should he need to intervene but he knew with her greatness she would manage just fine. But he couldn't just bow over without an argument in front of Draco and Neville because then that would raise suspicions.

"Do what you want, Miss Granger I have given you my warning and if you wish not to heed it there is little I can do to stop you. I do advise you to do all of the research that you can so you don't kill yourself and you are well prepared on the if's and what's that can do wrong brewing such a potion. You really are a glutton for punishment, Miss Granger. Potions like that are usually reserved for advanced Potion Makers who have undergone further training than what Hogwarts has to offer."

"So you are saying I am not smart enough to make it?"

"No, I am saying it's not something usually brewed by someone who has not yet finished his or her secondary magical education, Miss Granger. It's not something I myself brewed until well into my third year Potions Apprenticeship and even I failed it the first time around."

"Well perhaps I am smarter than you," She quirked a brow and a taunting smile spread across her pinks lips. Almost beckoning him to come and press his to hers.

The fucking brazen little bitch dares to question his intellect? And do it in such a way that he left wanting to both fuck her and reprimand her at the same time. "Detention, Miss Granger after dinner."

She had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing. With pleasure, she thought to herself. Detention might be quite good tonight if she did say so herself.

"And I suggest you get a move on with brewing your Draught of Peace, Merlin knows you will need them by the time your newts roll around. The potion takes two months to cure so you will be well on your way to preparing for newts then."

The time ticked by at a glacial speed as she mixed and added and simmered her potion. Severus walking around the room from Hermione to Draco and back to Neville who since gaining confidence within himself after the war had actually excelled in most of his classes, potions included.

She felt him walk up behind her and he grabbed her around the wrist to stop her dropping in the powdered unicorn horn. "The potion isn't yet ready for that, _Miss Granger._ " He leaned down breathing each word into her ear.

"Should you proceed to do that the potion will either be totally ineffective or it will put you into an irreversible sleep and you will become the living dead."

"Sorry, Professor, my mind was…" she turned her head grabbing his gaze with her own, "elsewhere," she breathed.

"Best to bring yourself back to reality Miss Granger before you make a fatal mistake."

"Yes, Professor." Teeth gnawed hard on her lower lip as she bit her tongue to stop herself from saying or doing something that they both might regret doing in front of other people who shouldn't know about them.

His body pressed against her as she melted back against him relishing in the touch of his body against her own. He wanted to tangle his fingers through her hair and run his hands over the flesh of her ample breast. He snapped back to reality and took a step back putting some distance between them but not before Draco had seen how close they had been and his interest piqued. He knew there was something going on between them but he didn't know how deep the affections lie.

Severus was fast starting to realize where muddying the line between student and teacher wasn't the smartest thing to do. She no longer feared or respected him as a teacher and he could hardly keep his hands to himself. This was probably one of the stupidest things he had ever done in his life, but in contrast, it was probably also the best thing he had done in his life. He certainly didn't regret his decision to befriend the girl and he didn't regret allowing her to seduce him.

-o-o-o-o-

Her heart hammered hard in her chest like a jackhammer hitting pavement, sweat dripping off her brow in anticipation as her feet led her the usual route to his chambers. Thoughts floating in her mind clouding her thoughts like a heavy fog. She gulped hard and loud as she neared his chambers. Palms sweaty she wiped them on her skirt before reaching out to push the large, wooden door open but she stopped.

Why was she feeling this confused and nervous? This was stupid. She felt like a teenager sneaking out of bed behind her parents back to meet the boyfriend that they so very much detested. She was much happier last night not knowing that Minerva, a woman she respected and looked up to had threatened him with the loss of his job should he decided to see her in a romantic capacity, and that didn't sit right with her.

If he did lose his job, it would be because of her and she didn't know if she could shoulder the blame of that along with the blame of so many other things in her life that she felt the need to take on. He had reassured her that it wouldn't matter anyway if he was fired because he had always had a dream of opening his own shop and working for himself. Who knew, maybe this was the push that he so desperately needed to pull himself from the monotony of his job that he so clearly despised was stayed there because of the comfort it afforded him.

The door slowly opened, creaking on its old wearing hinges pulling her deep from within her thoughts. She wouldn't let her thoughts get her down and she would worry about the implications of her actions later if they arose. Right now, she needed to see him and she needed to touch him. She needed to feel their lips tangling together and his tongue brushing against her. She shuddered at the thought walking into his classroom the door snapped shut behind her making her jump an inch or two and her heart to hammer even faster against her rib cage.

"Miss Granger, how nice of you to show up," his voice a low whisper as he strode towards her with purpose grabbing her around her hips hard with his hands he lifted her off the ground with ease. He didn't look strong by any stretch of the imagination but he could pick her up off the ground with ease and no trouble. She squealed in surprise as he lifted her off the ground, she wrapped her legs tight around his waist and all of a sudden her mood changed and all of the worries and reservations she had were being washed away like a shower of rain washing over her.

Intertwining her fingers through his ink black hair till they were almost lost he landed his lips hard on hers showing her all of the desire and all of the want he had for her. She responded by showing him equally how much she desired him and how she felt for him. Her tongue pushed its way into his wet cavernous mouth seeking his tongue to tangle with. They found one another, touching as if they needed each other to live. He moaned loudly against her mouth his hands straying from her hips to the curve of her ass cheeks propping her up against him.

Her long tangled mass of curls tickled his cheeks as she kissed him hungrily causing him to shudder hard against her body. The kiss deepened with more urgency and more need before she pulled away breathless, breasts rising and falling with every heaving breath she took.

Their eyes searching deep within the others, desire and longing for one another's touch flickered just beneath the surface.

She reached out and stroked his cheek gently, a gesture of love and adoration and the softest and most heartfelt touch her had ever been on the receiving end of.

He gently lowered her to the ground, her feet touching the stone floor soundlessly, eyes staring into his waiting for him to make the next move and dictate to her what she should do.

A slender white hand reached out to touch her flushed red cheek, returning the kind gesture she had shown him, cold hand brushing across warm flesh, moving to tuck a stray curl behind her ear ever so gently, as genuine and warm smile wormed its way onto his lips. She smiled back, looking to the ground, yesterday things had come to natural to her but now that reality had set in and the gravity of the situation had come to light she was acting like a frigid schoolgirl.

Gently a long finger tucked itself below her chin, tipping her head back to look at him. He wasn't sure what it was about the girl but she was sweet, and she was kind, she was beautiful and his heart skipped a beat as his eyes searched hers once again. Fuck, was this love? Surely this wasn't love. Maybe he was ill and that was why he was suddenly hot and his stomach churned rapidly and he couldn't help but smile like a fool.

"We don't have to do anything if you aren't comfortable…Hermione," he trailed off. Holy shit, this had to be love because never in his life had he spoken to a woman with such gentleness.

"No, its okay, I want to," her voice was so low he was sure he had almost dreamed her sweet voice passing his ears.

He dropped her chin and groaned hard biting his bottom lip; he really, really wanted to take her over his desk, to watch her writhe in pleasure. To change the entire way he looked at that desk ever again. He had always wanted to fuck a student over the desk, it was a long-running fantasy of his locked up tight in the deepest depth of his soul.

"Please, Severus," she breathed huskily. She needed to feel him inside of her she gnawed hard at her bottom lip with enough force to almost make it bleed, a terrible habit he had come to notice she had and one he would try to gently break her from.

"Her, or?" He questioned, a look of uncertainty on his face.

Her eyes darted nervously to the door, still rolling her lip between her teeth. "What if someone comes in?" She protested worriedly. He fished into his robes, flicked his wand and she could feel the instant humming of the wards protecting the room. She sighed, relieved and her body relaxed ever so slightly.

He pushed his body hard against her own, guiding her backward until the back of her legs caught his desk and she sat with a hard thud. He leaned down his hot breath on warm skin ghosting over her body ever so softly causing a chill to run up and down her spine, lids fluttered shut enjoying the moment.

And then, he kissed her again. But this time it was soft and it was sensual and it was full of the love he was currently feeling for her. There was no rush in their kiss. Slowly lips moved on lips, one hand playing with her curls, another hand gently running an index finger up and down her bare thigh beneath her skirt.

He broke the kiss; slowly pulling her to her feet he spun her around and bent her over just so, her forearms resting on the desk. He ran a hand up the back of her leg, searching for the elastic of her panties he pulled them down slowly, she spread her legs to let them pass her knee's, they pooled around her leather clad feet.

He closed his eyes for a moment giving a silent nod to the gods for the delights he was about to partake in. For the gods aligning their worlds together so she basically fell within his life. For the gods that realized she needed him and for the gods that were alerted to the fact that he also needed her just as much. Of all the time over all of the years he had seen her face, he never once thought that they would be here, in this capacity. That he would be balls deep within her, fucking her and making her scream and that after all this time, she was all he needed to take his mind off all of the trial and tribulations that had befallen him and perhaps he needed her now as much as he needed the oxygen around him to breath.

In one quick fluid motion he exposed his hardened cock from its cloth prison, he almost groaned at the thought of fucking her again. Cock in hand he guided himself to her tight, wet center and entered slowly. He gripped her hips gently, slowly sheathing his entire length within her hot core. She relaxed against him just a touch as he pulled back and slowly pushed himself into her once more.

How the fuck did he get so lucky? How the fuck did he get a beautiful witch to want to willingly take him and feel him and hold him and be in his life.

He let one of his hands know in her curls as he kept the pace steady. She let out a long, loud breath and he assumed she had probably forgotten to breathe for a little while.

Her legs began to shake softly the more he fucked her, she closed her eyes leaning most of her weight on the desk because she was certain her legs were going to give out as they were turning to jelly.

He groaned loudly in appreciation as he felt himself getting closer to the height of pleasure where he would spill his seed within her appreciatively.

Her breath became heavy and forced as her legs shook violently like a leaf on a tree in a tornado. His breath caught in his throat and his breath stopped as he worked his way to pleasure.

"Severus, don't stop," her voice was a deathly low forced whisper as she shuddered against him, reaching her climax almost silently, only the tightening of her velvet walls around his cock alerted him to the fact that she had come.

He wasn't far behind; the grip on her hair intensifying of her spilled his seed deep within her core with a groan and a growl.

The grip on her hair and her hip relaxed, relaxing his head against her back, inhaling her sweet scent.

"I better get back," she broke the sex-induced stupor between the two of them. He stepped back, she fixed herself up while he fixed himself up. They just stared at one another for a moment. He wanted to drag her off to his bed and watch her as she slept, watching the rise and fall of her breath and her sweet face twitch in her slip but he knew he probably shouldn't. He was already in deeper than he could get out and only be digging the hole deeper and deeper by the day.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hermione." He placed a zealous kiss against her forehead before she turned and left. His heart clenched sadly in his chest. And it was at that moment when she left and he felt his heart sink and the loneliness instantly creep in that he was in love and she was perhaps the one he wanted to spend the rest of his damned life with. He was in love with Hermione Granger. Well, fuck.

 **A/N: Another one done and dusted. A few more to go I think. I get a feeling I might go over the estimated 15. I am guessing between 15 and 20 chapters. This story was never meant to be a long one, just a short, sweet little ficlet of two broken people finding love and becoming whole.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	14. Chapter 14

"I don't see why we have to do this," Hermione protested with a soft stomp of her foot to punctuate the fact she wasn't happy with what he was dragging her along to do.

"Because, you are coming to the ball with me, and I am going to buy you a dress to go in, that's why."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I have plenty of dresses," She retorted.

"For fuck sake woman, just let me do something nice for you for once, please?"

Draco was almost pleading with her now as they walked side-by-side towards the front gates of Hogwarts on their way to spend the day shopping for outfits to wear to the ball.

Draco had assured her she wouldn't need to bring a cent because he had full access to his parent's vault and fortune and thus he was very, very rich. He had said the very, very rich with a waggle of his eyebrows as if he expected it to sway her perception of him. It didn't.

They both slightly jumped when Severus stepped out from where he had been standing just out of sight, outside of the front gates, blocking their path he towered over them both, arms folded tightly across his chest, a single brow raised in question.

"And where may you two be heading on this fine mid-January morning?" He drawled slowly looking at the close proximity that the two were in and something deep inside of him reared its head and awoke and he was sure that feeling was a pang of jealousy.

"Out. Just like everyone else on," Draco retorted back.

"Better be careful getting so close, people might think you are up. to. Something," His last three words were spoken at a glacial pace.

"You two wouldn't be planning on Apparating from Hogsmeade to London, would you?"

Draco snorted, "us? No? Never." He lied.

"You lie to me, Mister Malfoy. You are a terrible liar and you forget I am a gifted Legilimens." A sneer spread easily and evenly across his face.

"We are old enough to go wherever the hell we want to go, without permission," He hissed back at his Godfather through tightly clenched teeth.

"Indeed. You may proceed." He stepped aside and allowed them to continue about their day, calling out once they had moved a few meters forward.

"And Miss Granger, please see me when you return, you are still yet to serve one last detention."

"Yes, Professor," she called over her shoulder a little too huskily, piquing Draco's interest.

"What is going on between you two?" He asked with utmost sincerity. He wanted to know, nay, he needed to know.

"Nothing," She snapped.

"I call bullshit. And you know its bull shit."

"Is not."

"I've seen the way he looks at you, like some disgusting lovesick puppy that can't tear his eyes off of you. I've seen how much time you spend together, Granger. I wasn't born yesterday."

"I don't know what you are talking about," She said stiffly, quickening her pace in a hope to stop the interrogation she was receiving.

He stopped; grabbing her wrist he spun her around to look at him. "If there is nothing going on between the two of you, kiss me right here, right now and prove it, Granger. He's in a perfect vantage point to see it." He smirked with an air of smugness and quirked a single brow.

Fuck. How was she getting out of this one?

"I… I will NOT be kissing you Draco Malfoy, I don't like men…" She trailed off.

He scoffed. "Fucking bullshit. I've never heard a bigger lie in my life."

"Kiss me now to prove me that I am wrong, or abstain from doing so and prove me right. Which one is it Granger? And there is no option three, pick one and deal with it and if I am right I get eternal gloating rights that I was correct-" She cut him off.

"And if you are wrong, you get to kiss me, it seems both situations are a win for you and loss for me," her voice raised a few octaves in slight anger at the unfairness of the odd laid before her.

"That's not true. If I am wrong, and you kiss me, you get the honor of kissing me, which is a very coveted thing. I don't just go handing my lips around like candy, Granger."

She snorted, "Kissing you wouldn't even be on par with a consolation prize."

"Go on, try it then, one touch of these lips and you will be begging for more."

"Oh my god, could you be any more conceited. Go kiss your self, you are obviously in love with yourself." She rolled her eyes at him, sighing angrily, already the day was not going as planned.

"Clocks ticking Granger, right here, right now, prove me wrong or prove me right. I wouldn't think any less of you if you are banging the old dungeon bat, might put a fucking smile on his dour old face and get us a few extra house points."

She rolled her bottom lip nervously between her teeth, gnawing at it till it was almost bleeding, a terrible habit she had if she did say so herself. She didn't want to kiss Draco, but at the same time, she didn't want to prove him right by not kissing him. She had no feelings at all towards the boy but she knew Severus was somewhat fragile and might not take what she was thinking of doing in jest. But at the same time, it wasn't as if they were in a relationship per say.

Sure they may have fucked each other a few times and spent more time with one another than any other person in the world but she didn't think there was any exclusivity to their relationship. She enjoyed his company and the sex wasn't bad but she didn't exactly know where it was or would be heading in the interim.

The relationship she had with him was fun and it was interesting and maybe that was because he was so dark and mysterious and she wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery that was Severus Snape. The entire time she had known him she had spent all of her time shying away from him, and now, she found herself trying to find an excuse to be with him. He was intriguing and surprisingly she found herself wanting more and more of his company.

"You're banging the old prick, aren't you?" Draco asked in a surprised upward inflection.

The look on her face was enough to confirm his suspicions.

"That fucking sly old dog," he mused before slowly ambling along again, she followed beside him.

"You can't tell anyone, please." Worry began to bubble in the pit of her stomach. Maybe telling Draco Malfoy wasn't her finest moment. Although technically she didn't tell him…

He waved a dismissive hand, " Secret is safe with me. The prick would hang, draw and quarter me if I told anyone his deep, dark secret anyway."

"What's it liked, anyway?" She glanced at him sideways for a moment, "To have him as a godfather I mean."

He shrugged. "He's pretty much the same person behind closed doors as he is in public, well towards me anyway. There is the added benefit of having him help me with homework or assignments should I need it but I mean he doesn't give me special treatment. What's he like towards you?"

"He's… Frustrating at times. Other times it's like talking to a whole different person and other times I couldn't find a nicer person if I tried. I find him interesting and kind."

"Yeah, well you are fucking him so its no wonder you get to see a less cold and sarcastic side."

"Yeah, well I guess if you were desperate to see his nice side you could give it a try…" She trailed off before trying to stifle a laugh.

-o-o-o-o-

"I can't let you buy it for me, Draco," she was protesting once again, only this time it was over the dress he was about to outlay a substantial amount of money for.

"Don't be stupid, it's only five thousand dollars."

"For a freaking dress!" She exclaimed, waving the dress on its coat hanger in his face.

"Not like its going to dry up the vault, Granger," he snapped back at her.

"I just can't, this is a ridiculous price and I cannot allow you to buy it for me." She made her point final by placing it back on the rack.

He rolled his eyes and took it back off the rack, handing it to the saleswoman standing nearby, "She will have that one." The woman nodded in response and took the dress away.

"Granger, I'm not taking no as an answer, for all the terrible things I did to you through our lives I feel it's a little price to pay. Besides Weasel and Potter will be positively beside themselves when they see you wearing that."

"Mmm probably one more than the other," She mumbled hesitantly.

"Weasel?"

She shook her head no ever so slightly and his eyes grew wide at the revelation.

"Potter?!"

She nodded.

"We had a thing for one another… The relationship was physical for a while and feelings were reciprocated, then when Ron cam back he ruined it all," She trailed off looking out the window of the store for a moment.

She really didn't know why she was divulging this information to Draco Malfoy, she was only just learning to tolerate him. Although spending the day with him she learned he wasn't as bad as she had perceived in her mind. He could hold a conversation, he was pleasant towards her, and he was generally good company all around.

"And you are both over one another now?"

Her eyes darted to him before she closed them for a moment sighing softly.

"You still have a thing for him?!" Draco questioned, his voice rising.

"I mean I've known the guy since I was almost twelve and I am twenty later this year, we had a fairly decent relationship for a while and we broke up amicably because Ron was going to be a proverbial wedge in our relationship. I would be lying if I said I still didn't have feelings for him, I do, but I'm not about to run out and act on impulse." She waved a dismissive hand as if downplaying the words she had just spoken.

"And what about you and the dour old prick? Are there any feelings there?" He asked, now thumbing through a rack of expensive suits on a rack to match her dress.

"I honestly don't know. I mean, I enjoy his company and I feel something when I am with him." She was holding up a pair of heels that the sales assistant had brought over to her that would match her dress. She inspected them from every angle, the price tag catching her eye she balked slightly.

"Granger, you are getting those too if you want them, I don't care about the price." He looked sideways at her catching her out of the corner of his eye.

"But I don't know how he feels about you, you know? Like he is such a hard person to read. I wouldn't know if he hated me and just wanted to use me or I wouldn't know if he was falling head over heels for me. I like spending time with him and I like being around him." She sat on a small seat, kicking her own shoes off she pushed the silver heels on, standing up she walked a few small circles trying them on for size.

"Well, if I know anything about Severus Snape, which isn't much but more than most people, I know he wouldn't be spending so much time around you if he didn't at least like you. He's very loyal, fiercely loyal in fact, he would do anything for the right person who asked."

"I just wish he would give me some sort of sign. I mean its all well and good to run off to him and warm his bed, but at the same time does he plan to take this further or am I just a little fin for him in the interim." She looked down at the heels, twisting her ankle just so to get a full side view of one heel.

"Just ask him," Draco said simply.

"That's the thing, I'm worried about rejection." She sighed haughtily taking the heels off and putting them in the box to purchase.

-o-o-o-o-

"Enjoy your little date?" He spat as he looked up at her from his couch. Bottle of whiskey clutched firmly in his hand and she could tell he was in a foul mood.

"What are you talking about?" She asked confused, sitting beside him, he flinched as her leg brushed his own and he scooted away from her so they were no longer touching.

"You and Draco. I saw how close you were today," He said sadly with a sigh.

"What the hell!" She exclaimed trying to pry the whiskey bottle from his vice-like grip. Obviously, he had been drowning his sorry a little too heavily today. He snatched his hand away from hers, pulling the bottle to his lips and taking a large swig or the amber liquid.

"For Merlin's fucking sake. We went out together yes, as friends." She blanched a little, "That was hard to say. You are the one who suggested we go to the ball together, he was just buying me a dress and that was it." She growled, frustrated at his stupid antics.

"If you say so," he said stiffly, not believing her in the slightest.

She pulled a half-empty bottle vodka off of the table, taking the lid off she pressed it hard to her lips and downed a heft portion. She was going to need this to fucking deal with him right now.

"What are you doing?" His brows knitted together as he watched her drink down some of his precious alcohol.

"I need this to deal with your antics right now. You are the one being childish now Severus Snape. You are angry with me because I spent time with Draco. I don't even know where this relationship is going. I don't even know if you like me or if you are merely tolerating me so you have someone to warm your bed. What is happening here, Severus? What do you want from me, from this?"

The bottle in his hand loosened in his grip somewhat and he slowly turned to her. His glassy eyes searching her own clueless but begging ones.

"Please, tell me what is going on with us, between us." She reached a single hand out to brush the back of one of his own which twitched at her touch.

"Can't you see? Isn't it obvious? I love you, Hermione Granger."

Her mouth went try and palms began to sweat.

"You…You love me?" She squeaked.

"I do," He said simply. "Why the fuck do you think I am so upset over you spending time with Draco? I love hard and I love fiercely." He leaned forward and pressed his lips hard against her own.

 **A/N: Sorry guys it's a teeny bit late than my usual one a week. I was busy hammering away at one of my other stories. Let me know what you thought of this chapter.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	15. Chapter 15

Once the kiss was broken, she sat blinking rapidly at him; her expression was void of any emotion- she looked utterly bewildered and like she may burst out into tear at any given moment.

She had not expected such a confession from the man. She thought, and would have been happy with an "I tolerate you," and she would have known he somewhat liked her. But to go all out and confess his love for her threw her off.

She opened her mouth and closed it a few times doing her best fish out of water impersonation. Her mouth was dry and her palms sweaty and her heart was almost beating out of her rib cage.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have," he said dryly.

She held up a hand to silence him, "just give me a second." She grabbed the bottle of vodka off of the table once more downing a hefty portion before placing it back down. Merlin knew she would need more than what she had all drank to deal with what was going on right now.

"I.. well, I literally have no idea what to say, Severus. I'm speechless."

"Again, I'm sorry, let's preened I never told you and we go back to the way things were before…" He looked sadly at her as he trailed off, his heart shattering like a drinking glass that had just been dropped onto the floor.

"No, Severus. It's not like that." She grabbed his hand in her hand, tracing small circles over the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I just didn't expect such a revelation from you of all people. I mean after Lily I didn't think… I'm sorry; I just don't know what to think. I was only saying to Draco earlier I didn't know how you felt about me or where this relationship would be going and then you blow me out of the water with this confession."

"And how do you feel about me?" He hand twitched under the touch of hers. He didn't know how he would react if she told him she didn't have the same mutual feelings that he harbored for. He had only ever loved one person before and he saw how terrible that turned out for him, so for him to love again was a big deal to him.

The awkward silence hung in the air as Hermione tried to form the words with utmost sincerity before she spoke them.

How did she feel about him? She liked him, she found him interesting, she loved being around him and she found herself trying to find a way to spend more and more time with him. Was that love? She assumed that was love, she wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure if she had ever loved before, she might have loved Harry, she had the same feeling towards Severus that she once felt towards Harry and in her mind that was love.

"I think I love you…" She looked at him as hurt and regret fluttered across his eyes before vanishing as quickly as it came.

"Forget I even said anything." He tore his hand away from her with ferocity, getting to his feet he stalked away to his bedroom and slammed the door so hard, the walls surrounding it shook.

"Oh my fucking god." She sighed in frustration, scrubbing the palms of her hands over her eyes with force. This wasn't going anything like she would have expected it to.

She stomped with anger all the way to his room and flung the door open with so much force, it his the wall behind it and the wood the door was constructed from cracked a little.

"Listen here," she said sternly pointing to him as he lay on the bed staring aimlessly up at the ceiling.

He turned his head a few centimeters to look at her. He really didn't care for what she had to say but he would hear her out.

"I think I love you because I don't know what love feels like." She gently lowered her finger, dropping her hand by her side. He rolled a little to get a better look at her, this could be interesting.

"If love is the heart skipping a beat when the other person kisses you, and butterflies in the pit of your stomach fluttering around and then wanting to spend every waking moment with the other person and if love is the way you look at someone with a stupid grin on your face as you imagine you want to spend the rest of your life with them then yes, yes I love you. That's all I have to say." She rubbed her left forearm absentmindedly before turning and leaving the room. She said what she had to say and if he wanted to stay angry with her then that was solely on his shoulders and his shoulders alone.

She had gotten all but ten steps when she felt herself being whirled around by a strong hand. She stared, breathing heavily looking into his eyes. Their gazes locked for what seemed like an eternity when only seconds had passed.

"I'm no expert on love either but what you described in the exact way I feel about you, Hermione."

A small smile spread across her lips. Of all the people in the entire world she had found love with the snarky, snarly, unpleasant dour old Potions Master that she had disliked for almost the entire time she had known him.

Of all the people in the entire world, he had found love with the bushy-haired know it all little chit that he spent a good few years loathing for no other reason than she was friends with Harry Potter.

The world sure did work in mysterious ways.

He wanted to shout how he felt from the rooftops but he also knew right now, that wasn't wise. It wouldn't be long before he would be hauled into Minerva's office and fired if he had to hazard a guess and the way he felt right now he didn't care. In fact, maybe he would start to take that leap before he was pushed.

"Draco knows, you know?" She walked back to the couch and sat down.

"I know."

"And you aren't mad?" Her brows knitted together in confusion.

"Not one bit. He isn't totally inept; he is fairly good at working things out on his own. But it makes me wonder who else can see it if he can." He sat beside her, resting a hand on her thigh.

"You aren't worried he will run off and use it against us?"

"Again, he isn't stupid even if the façade may tell otherwise. He knows the repercussions if he were to do that. He isn't a wretched as he comes across and he is a semi-decent human being as I am sure you found out today when you spent time with him. The way Draco comes across and his ideologies and his mannerisms are all the by-product of one Lucius Malfoy, you take him away and Draco becomes a semi-decent albeit sometimes annoying human being."

"He paid five thousand dollars today for a dress. I didn't want to accept it but he wouldn't take no for an answer."

"He may be a git at times but chivalry is rife in pureblood society, Hermione. And I am sorry I flew off the handle when you first came to see me… I had made a stupid scenario up in my head where you and Draco ran off together and I was once again left cold and alone."

Hermione snorted loudly, "trust me, Severus, you have nothing to worry about there."

-o-o-o-o-

"Is there a reason you brought me to an old, empty store in the middle of Diagon Alley, Severus?" She asked quizzically, totally perplexed as to why he had dragged her out here a few days after he had confessed his love for her.

"You can't see it?" He questioned her.

"See what?" She asked, baffled. She was sure he was finally losing his sanity, or what was left of it anyway.

"Shelves here," he dramatically waved his arms over beside a wall. Hermione only quirked a brow and pursed her lips, and it was official, Severus Snape had lost the plot.

"Counter here," he walked a few steps forward, gesturing to yet another empty space.

It was about at this moment her eyes grew wide and the cogs ticked over in her head and she finally realized what he was getting at.

"Ohhh I get it, I have to metaphorically see it, not literally see it."

"Exactly."

"What do you think?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea!" She gushed, walking over to him she stood on the tips of her toes, raising her up high enough to steal a chaste kiss from him.

"Minerva will be positively beside herself when she knows you plan on leaving…" She trailed off.

"Minerva is the one that pushed me to this so she can deal with it, I hope she is happy."

Hermione looked sadly out of the dusty, cobweb-covered window out into the bustling alley, losing herself in her thought for a few moments.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She sighed sadly, averting her gaze to the old, dusty wooden floor. This place hadn't seen love in a long, long time and she hoped he didn't pay too much to purchase the derelict rundown building.

"You can't lie to me. Well, you can try but you won't get far with me." Gently he lifted her chin so she was looking at him.

"It's just that soon my time at Hogwarts will be finished, and you will have left and I will be back in the house my parents left behind. My life has and is still a train wreck apart from you being in it. I don't know what I want to do in life. You know, do I want to be an Auror, or a healer or work with magical creatures? I don't even know what I want to do let alone expect anyone else to know what I want in life."

She tried to swallow the large lump in her throat away, tears burning at her eyes and she tried in vain to stop them from spilling down her cheeks. The hot, wetness trailed down her cheeks.

"I just don't know what I want from life," She sobbed, launching herself at him and burying her head deep in his robes.

She felt terrible, this was meant to be his moment, to share with her his excitement and his future and here she was sobbing into his robes like an emotionally unstable wench.

Gently he stroked her long, curly locks and she felt some of the sadness ebb away knowing that someone in her life cared about her and that someone was there for her.

"I'm sorry," She sniffled pulling her face from his robes, "It's just that you are getting your life together and I am so happy for you but at the same time I am standing here and the thoughts are racing through my head and I am self-doubting myself about what I am doing with my life. I don't want to be alone in that house and I don't know what I want to do in life."

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders her drew her into an embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"You don't have to do anything Hermione and you don't have to be alone. You can live with me. I have a house, albeit it needs a bit of work, we can fix it up together, you can help me set up the business and then if you decide you want to leave to study you are free to go, and by then hopefully you would have made up your mind about what you wanted in life. But you have nothing to prove; you are in the eyes of just about everyone a hero. You don't have to run off and work yourself into the ground for fear of retribution."

It was her turn to now wrap her arms around his waist as she buried her head deep in his robes again, her body convulsing from silent sobbing and he wondered for a moment what he had said that was wrong. He knew women were difficult and at times emotionally unstable but Hermione Granger took the cake.

"Thank you," She mumbled into his robes with a smile and for the first time in a long time, she felt at peace and she felt as if her life was perhaps going to head forward instead of in a downward spiral.

 **A/N: Here you all go. I am putting you all out of your misery after the last cliffhanger. And because you were all great readers and I was rewarded grandly with all of the reviews I am posting this chapter early.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	16. Chapter 16

His hand ghosted lightly over her umber curls, slowing with every pass through that he made. Her head rested upon his lap in the privacy of his chambers, her legs tucked up tightly.

They were conversing on the best way to let Minerva down that he was leaving. He wanted to let her down as fast as a lead weight being dropped, and he wanted to be rude about it too. Because she had driven him to want to leave and thus it was her own fault for him harboring terrible feelings towards the elder witch. At the same time, Hermione had told him that despite those facts, she had indeed been very good to Severus over his time teaching and that perhaps he shouldn't be rude about it and he should go about it the right way, rather than the hasty, showboating route.

She had a point, but at the same time, he wanted to make a spectacle of it to inhibit her with some of the shitty feelings she instilled upon him.

"I mean if she doesn't say anything about us, couldn't you see out the end of the schooling year?" Her voice low as she relished in his touch, heavy lids closed in a moment of bliss.

"I could, but where would be the inconvenience for her? I want to make it hard for her; I want her to have to find someone to take over the position. We know Slughorn won't do it he made that all too clear when he left here. There aren't many potions master who could teach the class or would be willing to be cinched to the school and the students for the duration of their contract which is usually five years to start with."

"Mmmm," she hummed. She had given him her two cents worth and it was up to him to work out what he wanted to do with the advice she had given him. Not to mention she would be incredibly upset if he up and left before she had finished her last year of schooling. He was all she had in the world and she didn't want to admit it but he kept her going even in the darkest of days.

And then that got her mind running, what exactly did he want from this relationship? Sure he loved her and she would happily admit that she loved him back but what were his motives from the relationship? Was it long term, or would he leave her when someone better came along? And then her head starting spinning and her mind began racing, she had over thought herself into a panic.

"Relax," he said softly, her eyes fluttered open and their gazes caught for a moment.

He had read her thoughts… Again.

"I'm not going to leave when someone better comes along Hermione because in my mind there is no one better than you. You are all I could have wanted and all I could have hoped for. For someone as surly and awkward such as myself, there aren't people bashing down my chamber door to get to me so you are in contest with no one. Being a former Death Eater doesn't exactly gain you, admirers or followers. You are stuck with me for a long time unless of course, you decide you leave for someone in which case you are free to go, I won't hold it against you."

Calloused fingers brushed her smooth, warm cheek in a tender show of affection and she smiled.

She chuckled. "And you think I have boys bashing down the door to get to me?"

"Draco," He said pointedly.

"He would be the only one. I can't say many people want a bushy-haired little know it all. Intelligence scares most males and they generally shy away from a partner who could outwit and outsmart them."

"Lucky you can't outsmart me then and therefore you don't scare me," He said with a raise of an eyebrow and amusement tangled in his tone.

"Is that so?" She huffed.

"It is." He wouldn't let the little witch know that she probably could outsmart him in many areas. She was probably one of the smartest people he had ever had the pleasure of meeting in his life.

She sat up lightning fast and straddled him. "Are you sure about that?"

"Are you threatening me, Miss Granger?"

"Perhaps," Her tone seductive as she nibbled on her lower lip.

"I like where this is going," He admitted.

"Me too," she whispered back, pressing her lips to his like she needed them as much as she needed the air she was breathing.

-o-o-o-o-

The morning of the ball had come and Hermione was visibly nervous. Her mouth was dry and her hands were sweating. She tried in vain to stomach her breakfast but it just didn't want to go down and she picked at it with little gusto. She was glad it was the weekend so she could hide away from the world until the very last moment when she was expected to make an entrance with a smile plastered on her face and walk in with Ron and Harry like nothing had changed and they were still best friends. That is what made her feel sick the most, knowing that she had to be with them, that people still thought everything was fine between the three of them when they so clearly were not.

Only this time she would have Draco Malfoy on her arm and she just knew that in the grand scheme of things it would make Ron and Harry do a double take and question where her motives really did lie. Wouldn't they fucking have kittens if they found out she was being fucked by the resident Potions Master. A wicked, twisted smile graced her lips for just a moment before it faded into nothingness as her stomach churned around and around at the sheer thought of attending later on tonight.

She was glad it was a Saturday morning and not a day she had to attend classes because she was sure she would have upended the small bit of toast she managed to swallow all over someone's shoes.

The fact she was feeling sick over something so trivial was silly, but she didn't know how else to process this. She was hurt that her friends had hurt and abandoned her but at the same time, she still had some semblance of feelings for Harry, even if he was a total ass to her. It was hard to just detach from someone you had spent so many years with and pretend they don't exist. She would be lying if she said she never had thoughts about what her life would have been like if she and Harry had have perused a longer romance.

She loved Severus, the fact he was there for her when no one else spoke volumes to her, she appreciated that fact and she did love him, she couldn't deny that, but she couldn't help but think about the what if's with Harry. Not that she would ever act on those stupid impulses because Severus deserved more than that, he deserved love, kindness, and understanding from her. After all, he had been so patient with her and her issues that he probably found trivial but he never treated her any lesser of a human being for it, and she appreciated that.

She shifted under his gaze, she knew he was looking at her like he always found himself doing and she tried to ignore it, if Draco could tell there was something going on between them, then surely other people could see the way they often caught one another's gaze from across the great all, or the amount of time she had been spending with him of late. Surely someone had to notice she had been missing from her own dorm room most night and never in the common room anymore. If anyone noticed, they never mentioned it.

She was going to spend the day with Severus hidden away until she needed to come out until she was required and even then he would probably have to drag her there because she would undoubtedly dig her claws in and refuse to go.

"Don't try anything stupid tonight, Severus." Minerva's whispered voice caught his ears and he glared at her.

"The only stupid thing I have done of late is stay here in this fucking hellhole."

"You could leave before you are fired."

"Maybe I will," he snapped before pulling himself to full height and storming from the great hall. Maybe he would do something stupid tonight in front of everyone.

-o-o-o-o-

"And what are you wearing to this stupid thing?" She huffed; playing with the hem of the dress Draco had bought her that was now on a hanger thrown over the back of Severus's couch,

He looked down at himself and the robes he always wore and raised a brow in question. He didn't even have to say a word for her to know he was planning on wearing what he had on.

"No, no, no." She shook her head furiously and headed on her own accord to his bedroom and tore open his wardrobe. He leaned casually against the door frame tutting.

"There is no need for me to get dressed up. I hardly think my presence there will be celebrated and I don't want people to expect more from me than the norm." He folded his arms as she rolled her eyes.

"Please, Severus. No one is expecting anything off of you and if I have to get dressed up for this stupid ball then so do you," she said matter of factly pulling a suit a suit from the wardrobe.

"I'm impressed that you actually own something other than fifty sets of your robes."

"I did have some semblance of a life outside of this forsake institution of misery and education and no, I am not wearing that."

"Please."

"No."

"If you loved me, you would wear it," She said sweetly holding it out for him to take it off her.

He sighed, resigned to his fate he was going in what she had picked.

"Is this how women get their way? By blackmailing men into doing things by making them rove their love to them?"

"Of course, now take it." She walked over to him and thrust the suit forward. He looked at her for a moment hoping she would change her mind. She didn't.

-o-o-o-o-

She looked at herself in his bathroom mirror, shakily she smoothed her hands over the silken bodice of her dress. The strapless baby pink dress dropped down to her ankles tied in at the waist with a black ribbon. The black shoes she had chosen at the time had been a good idea but now she dressed having to wear them for the night. She hated heels.

Her brown curls tamed beyond recognition cascaded over the front of her shoulder and over her left breast. She smiled, she loved the dress and she loved the way she looked in it, it instilled a confidence in her. When she looked good, she felt good.

"I'm ready." She strode from his bathroom and he had to do a double take. Merlin's fucking left nut it was going to take every ounce of his strength not to tear the dress from her, bend her over and fuck her right here and right now.

"You look amazing," he managed to sputter and she only smiled in response, so far she got the reaction she was going for.

"And don't you look handsome," she almost cooed to him as she ran a hand over his chest.

"Well I wasn't going for handsome but if it's coming from you I will take it," he mused.

"I have to meet Draco outside in the hall in a few minutes."

"Mmmm." Came his dry reply. He wanted to be the one walking in with the pretty girl hanging off of his arm and watching everyone recoil in horror that he had gotten the beautiful, intelligent heroine that shouldn't have even wanted to look at him sideways let alone attend a ball with him.

He wanted to walk right up to Ron and Harry with the witch on his arm and his middle finger proudly held high in a big fuck you to the cunts and then he would take the girl in a heated embrace and kiss her like he needed her to survive and then just for added shock value he would get down on bended knee and ask her to marry him. And then after that he would chuckle at the many gasps within the room, get to his feet and tell Minerva to shove her job up her ass sideways and he would carry the girl he loved with every fiber of his being out of the great hall in a baptism of fire and the shocked gasps of every single person in that room.

He shook his head and almost snorted. As if he would ever do that.

 **A/N: Sorry it took me a while to update, please graciously accept this chapter as a token of my appreciation for waiting.**

 **As they say, all good things must come to an end and this story is heading there at a rapid rate. A few more chapters and it will be done.**

 **Thank you to the guest who took their time out to read and review and I am glad you like the story thus far.**

 **-aliasmel1**


	17. Chapter 17

"You look satisfactory," Draco purred in her ear as he snuck up behind her and grabbed her around the waist. She squealed in surprise, spinning around fast to catch his gaze, cheeks blazing red with the kind of compliment he had given her.

"Thanks, I think. I will take that as a compliment." She took a step back to look at him. His hair was no longer slicked to the side in its trademark appearance, instead, he had left it natural and she had to admit it made him look marginally better and no longer the rich, spoilt child she had come to know and loathe from many years previous. He almost looked handsome. Almost.

Black suit pressed to perfection and she could only assume that he had screamed or threated a house elf to do such a task for him. A white shirt lay under the suit, equally pressed to perfection. There wasn't even the slightest wrinkle in his attire and there wasn't a wayward hair on his head, every hair looked as if it were meant to be where it sat. If she didn't dislike him so much for his whole blood prejudice shit and he didn't have a terrible sub-human being as a father she may have just considered taking him up on his offer if she weren't with Severus. Ok, so she lied, she would be the first to secretly admit to herself that Draco had come to grow somewhat handsome. His facial features starting to become as prominent and chiseled as his fathers who despite being a total prick, she could appreciate his good looks and strong jawline and the long platinum flowing locks that looked as if he paid thousands on galleons to have tended to so they appeared so very perfect.

"Are you ready to do this Granger?" he cocked his head to the side and gauging by the reaction of her face turning whiter than nearly headless Nick who had just floated past he would have guessed she wasn't.

"Are you really going to let the opinion of two stupid people bring you down, Granger? I thought you were better than that. What happened to the embodiment of Gryffindor courage? You are sleeping with Snape, you must have balls of steel to do that because most people shit their pants just being in the same room with him and here you are voluntarily spending time with him, hell not only spending time with him, you are allowing him to grind his greasy body all over yours." He stuck his tongue out in disgust, which Hermione tried in vain to ignore.

She smiled meekly, he had a point but they had hurt her by ignoring her and make her feel as if she were but an insignificant speck of dust in their lives. She knew people grew up and moved on but to cut her off in such a cruel way was incomprehensible to her.

"Chin up, Granger. You look amazing, although part of that may have to do with the fact I will be hanging off your arm when you make an entrance."

She could only roll her eyes and chuckle, she was sure he would never stop being conceited and she wondered if that stemmed from Lucius or Narcissa's influence, at a guess from knowing what little she knew about Lucius, he was the influence here.

"Are we ready to do this?" He questioned, looping his arm through hers.

She could only nod meekly as he led her to the Great Hall, it seemed to take a lifetime to get there, each step she neared her mouth got drier and her hands got sweatier. The clacking of her heels on the cobblestone floor reverberating off the walls but soon made way to the sound of chattering with every step closer to the hall she got the chattering got louder and the dread in her body intensified.

"You can do this Granger," He encouraged when he felt her stall for a nanosecond as he pulled her along, step by agonizing step she felt as if she were being led to her death.

This was it, three more steps and around the corner, she would have to face the world with Draco Malfoy on her arm and dread in her heart.

She made it. She visibly relaxed a touch on his arm once she had rounded the corner and she was thankful when Ron and Harry were nowhere to be seen, that was until they came sweeping in, Ginny on Harry's arm and Lavender on Ron's. She vocally groaned as they spotted her and began to walk towards her, she went to move away but Draco held her steady in the spot, never unwavering as the group of four moved towards them much akin like tigers to an injured gazelle.

"What the actual fuck?" Were the first few words she heard spill from Harry and Ron's lips in unison. Draco held her arm tighter, willing her to stand by him. He wasn't going to back down from dumb and dumber. They didn't scare him.

"Problem?" Draco asked, smiling slyly.

"Well actually, there is." Harry stared in disbelief that of all the people she could have come with, she chose one of the people he loathed the most in the world. The spoiled, pretentious cunt of a Malfoy, the only person worse than him she could have been with would have been Snape.

"Just leave it, Harry," she whispered, barely audible.

"Granger is entitled to come to the ball with whomever she feels like, Potter. I didn't see you or Weasel bashing down the front door to ask her." Draco puffed out his chest somewhat and Harry couldn't help but notice how much taller Draco now was than himself and how much fitter he looked and for one moment he couldn't help but feel a little more insignificant and a little worried that the boy could hold his own against Harry in a fight without wands.

"I can't believe this, Hermione, it's like we barely know you anymore," Harry spoke angrily and the three others in his small party nodded their heads in agreement at what was going on. Hermione hated Slytherin's and she hated Draco, had they brainwashed her so much that she thought they were actually good people now?

"Perhaps you don't know her anymore, Mister Potter. After all, I haven't seen you traipsing around the castle seeking her out." Severus entered stage left, clad in the suit Hermione had encouraged (forced) him to wear, arms folded tightly across his chest, looking down his nose at the lot of them. He really, really fucking hated Potter and fifty scenarios ran through his head of how he could kill him and make it look like an accident.

"No, Perhaps you are right, Snape. Maybe I don't know her anymore." He eyed Severus sideways as if daring him to say or do something threatening.

"Mister Weasley, my condolences on your recent nuptials, you could have done much, much better." He turned to Ron and Lavender, his top lip curling into a vicious sneer and Draco had to force a cough to hide the snort of laughter that had forced its way out.

"I think you mean Congratulations, Professor," Harry retorted back, holding Snape's gaze hard as if challenging him on superiority and Severus could only internally chuckle. Little Harry Potter really did think he was above everyone else now.

"I meant what I said," Severus said coldly before turning and leaving before Ron could even retort back, leaving Draco smirking in his wake and Lavender looking as if someone had just murdered her whole family and called her fat. Hermione opened and closed her mouth a few times as if to say something, she willed the words to form but they wouldn't. She had to admire his snark.

Minerva came rushing in, eyeing Hermione and Draco for a moment. "Behave yourself this evening, Miss Granger." Her tone was almost threatening and Hermione knew exactly what she was getting at, and by the look on Draco's face, he got the hint too.

"You will all walk in together, Harry, then Ron and then Hermione, with your partners." She looked at Hermione who almost channeled her inner Severus and sneered a sneer that would have rivaled his own. Of course, she was last, as usual. "Once you walk in, the six of you will dance with your respective partner and then you are free to do whatever you wish for the rest of the night…within reason." She pursed her thin lips together and glared once again at Hermione who shifted under her gaze. What did she think? That she was going to pin Severus in a dark corner and do dark deeds? Actually… That sounded wonderful.

Hermione could hear Harry and Ron mumbling amongst themselves about her audacity to take Malfoy with her to the ball and how she had gone off the rails.

She sucked in a deep breath, pulled herself up to full height, held onto Draco's arm tighter, who right now she liked better than Harry and Ron and was glad she was hanging off his arm. Slytherin's weren't as bad as people made them out to be, or at least that is what she had found out since she had been literally thrust head first without thinking into the arms of Severus Snape, who picked her up, turned her life around and helped her along her merry way.

The doors opened, Harry and Ron began to move ahead of her and she stalled, almost like her feet were glued to the floor and she forgot how to move with forward impulsion. Draco hastily pulled her along as she stumbled a few steps and he set her straight, helping her along.

She could feel many pairs of eyes boring into her as she walked in and hushed; awkward whispers hit her ears when they saw Draco hanging off her arm. Draco only smirked like the cat that got the cream; he loved stirring the pot of drama, the bigger the pot, the better was his motto.

Once they were inside, Draco halted and spun to face her, resting a hand on her hip and tangling his fingers with hers with his other hand. He was no stranger to dancing and he was quite good if he did say so himself. It was almost a prerequisite that to be a pureblood, you had to master the art of ballroom dancing.

The music started playing and Draco led Hermione to dance to the three timed beats. She knew how to dance but right now he was leading her along because her brain had practically stood up, jumped out of her skull and took a wander and short of breathing, she couldn't think of what else to do.

Draco's lips twitched into a smirk, "relax Granger, it's only a dance." He cooed into her ear as he spun her around. She noticed they were getting incredibly close to Harry who was dancing with Ginny and Hermione's face although stoic, deep inside she was terrified. She knew exactly what Draco was playing at and before she could form the words in her head and spit them out, he had done it, he had spun himself right into Harry, knocking him over.

Harry hit the floor hard was a groan and a glare at Draco, pulling Ginny with him and as quickly as it happened, Draco waltzed right out like he had done nary a fucking thing. He was smooth, Hermione thought to herself, smoother than silk.

"Honestly needs to watch where he is going," Draco said and chortled with laughter just as the music stopped.

"You can't just do that, Draco," Hermione warned sternly.

"I can, and I did. I just wanted one chance to humiliate him and I took it."

"You are evil, Draco Malfoy."

"I know." He smiled wickedly, as he led her away from the dance floor, he sat her down at a vacant table and went off to fetch her a drink, Salazar knew she needed one.

Severus stood at the alcoholic beverage table, in charge of ensuring no one under age tried to fool the age line and sneak past. He didn't want to be here, he hated being here, he hated everyone except Hermione and he hated being in this castle. The only good thing about keep watch over the inebriation station as he had dubbed it, was that he could indeed imbibe the selection before him. He was already onto his second tumbler of smooth, smooth judgment clouding whiskey. While he found himself drinking less and less now that Hermione was in his life and he was in love, right now he needed this just to get through the night without strangling the next person who waltzed by.

He watched as Hermione danced with Draco and anger bubbled deep within his soul, down in the deepest, darkest depths of his being. He should have been the one to dance with her, he should have been the one to lead her in and he should have been the one to leap to her defense around Potter. He loved her, should he not protect and defend her for the rest of her life? He slammed the tumbler down on the wooden table, scaring a woman walking past who jumped and shrieked a little.

He couldn't sit here idly by watching Draco cozy up to the love of his life; his pride and his jealousy wouldn't possibly allow that. He had stupid thoughts running through his head that were only fueled by the alcohol he was consuming. Well, fuck. He didn't need this job anyway… Now was a good time as ever to do what he had been planning on doing for a little while now. He loved Hermione; he hated his job…It made perfect sense to do what he was thinking of doing. Should he? Probably not… Would he? Of course.

He stood by his post for another half an hour, watching Draco and Hermione chat animatedly before Draco led her back onto the dance floor. His eyes flashed with anger, not for Draco, but for the whole stupid fact, he couldn't be out there dancing with her because it might upset someone. Fuck this.

Grabbing two tumblers of alcohol off the table he downed the whiskey followed by a straight vodka shooter. The alcohol burned his throat and warmed the cockles of his heart. Right now it was either go big or go home and given his current inebriated state and the fact the fields in which his fucks lay was a total barren wasteland, he figured he may as well make this a wonderful spectacle.

With finesse he pushed through the moving crowd of dancers where he found Hermione and Draco, tapping the younger boy on the shoulder Draco stepped back and allowed him to cut in.

Hermione eyed him apprehensively, "What are you doing?" She asked in a low, hushed whisper through gritted teeth.

"Bungee Jumping," He replied as sarcasm oozed off every single word he spoke.

"You can't be seen dancing with me."

"Can't I?" He asked with a mock, surprised upward inflection, "it would seem I already am."

The puzzled look on her face amused him; she really had no idea what he had just done.

"You look amazing tonight," He leaned down and whispered softly in her ear, Goosebumps formed on her white skin in response as hot breath ghosted lightly over her earlobe and neck. "That dress is amazing, but it would look even better on the floor next to my bed." He raised an eyebrow in amusement as her cheeks flushed crimson.

"We can't dance, you have to go." Concern edged into her features as she tried to push him away. He only smirked in response and grabbed her lightning fast around her waist, drew her in and kissed her like he meant it, kissed it as if he would die if he didn't, he kissed her with such ferocity and such passion he thought perhaps he was possessed for a moment.

The music stopped abruptly, the dancing stop and you could have heard a pin drop. Time went by glacially slow, almost as if it had stopped. Her heart hammering out of her chest at the assault on her lips and what this would mean for him. She reciprocated the embrace, wrapping her own arms loosely around his hips.

The gasps of horror from just about everyone in the room could be heard simultaneously. He broke the kiss, only because they both needed air. Glancing around the room at the look of horror, disgust and confusion on everyone's faces only added fuel to the fire in which he had started.

Right now he was at the intersection of fucked and no going back now. He could turn left and walk out of here doing no more damage to his reputation (Or what little he had of one anyway) or he could go the whole hog, turn right and fuck that up completely and considering there was little to even salvage, he decided to go right.

Just as he was about to do probably the only decent thing he had done in his life, and the only right choice he might have ever made, Potter and Weasley pounced on him like a cat on a mouse. Their wands were drawn, aiming right for him as they strode across the room like the two heroes they thought they were but clearly were not. He only rolled his eyes and let go of the girl. He didn't even bother to draw his wand because he knew they were all bark and generally no bite.

"Can I help you?" He drawled, eyeing off Potter and the wand pointed right at his face.

"Just what the fuck do you think you are doing to Hermione, to our friend?" Harry hissed with ferocity, wand shaking with anger.

Severus chuckled, " Define friend for me, Potter."

Harry looked perplexed, wand still trained on Severus.

"Oh, you have no answer. Let's see." He tapped his bottom lip as if in deep thought. "Friends don't abandon friends, Potter. Friends don't ignore their friends when they are so desperately screaming out for help. But not to worry, Potter, I stood in where you and Weasley failed and I thank you for that because right now that girl there," he pointed at Hermione, "She is the light of my life and the reason I get out of bed every morning. She is like the oxygen I need so desperately to stay alive. I wake up every morning thanking Merlin for aligning our lives and putting her in my life."

Hermione had let out a strangled sob, trying to hold herself together. Harry shakily lowered his wand; his face contorted into confusion, Ron still held his steadfast.

He continued, "That girl there doesn't realize that she finally gave me a purpose in life and pulled me from the deep downward spiral I was heading in. From the moment I opened my eyes, till the moment I closed them I drank myself into oblivion, but having her has made me realize there is more to life than that. I couldn't imagine waking up and not having her in my life. I'm terrified of what I am going to do, but I am even more terrified of losing her."

It was Ron's turn to lower his wand in utter confusion, was Snape confessing his love for Hermione?

"You and Hermione are…" Harry choked out in a squeak, his throat drying up by the second.

"Together, yes," He answered simply.

"Hermione? Harry asked in desperation as if hoping she would deny it, hoping this was all a terrible dream, his face falling when she nodded, confirming.

"But… What about us, I thought, I thought," Harry ran a shaky pale hand through his raven hair exasperated by what was unfolding in front of him. In all honesty, he thought he would bide his time, wait for her to finish her school, then when she had no one else he would pounce of her and she would fall in love with him again and they would have babies and live happily ever after.

"What exactly did you think, Harry?" Hands on her hips, voice rising a few octaves, oblivious to the fact every pair of eyes were trained on the spectacle going on before them.

"Did you think that I would leave here so despondent and in need of attention and affection of you starved me of the contact with the people I loved so dearly that I would fall into your arms and madly in love with you? You left me, Harry. Everyone I ever cared about left ME. I cried out for help, I wrote, I sent owls and you all ignored me. The whole lot of you, Harry, Ronald and the family I thought I had in the Weasleys, you all abandoned me and left me. Severus, he cared, he helped me." Tears began to fall hotly down her cheeks at the revelations she was having and she realized now more than ever that she loved the man who was there for her, who had pulled her out of her deep depression and started to not only fix her life but her heart.

He didn't know if now was the right time, he had never done this in his life so his cue to do so may be slightly skewed but he would take the run while he could and as she was just about to confess her undying love for him (he assumed) in front of a room full of mostly strangers, what more of a romantic time than the present, he thought.

With the little Dutch courage he had drunk before, and the shock value he wanted to instill in Potter, he was ready to go ahead with his plan.

He turned to Hermione who looked up at him with tear filled eyes and she feint a wet smile, and then her eyes widened in shock and her expression was stoic when he ever so nimbly dropped to one knee and pulled out a velvet covered box with a ring inside.

Her hands covered her mouth in shock as the tears of sadness made way for tears of happiness.

"Hermione Granger, Will you marry me?" He asked coolly, although deep down his stomach was backflipping like a gymnast going for gold at the Olympics.

She could only nod yes as her body began to convulse with heavy body shaking sobs.

He ever so gently took the shaking hand she was extending out to him and slid the band made of goblin gold adorned with a modestly sized diamond on her finger before standing again.

"That's fucking horse shit," Ron yelled in anger.

Severus grabbed Hermione and pressed his lips hard against hers, proudly extending a middle finger at full attention and directing it towards Ron and Harry. Checkmate, he won.

Draco slowly began to slow clap not only for Severus and Hermione but the amazing drama-filled spectacle he was able to witness and liven the night up and soon, before he knew it the whole room, besides Minerva, Ron and Harry were applauding.

Once the applause had died down, Severus turned squarely to Minerva and told her to, "Go forth and stick his job where the sun doesn't shine."

She looked deeply offended and turned bright red. He bowed low at the spectacle he had just created. Hermione looked like she wanted to either burst out crying again or strangle him, he wasn't sure which one. Draco's loud, ear piecing chuckle could be heard through the silence of the hall, a few glasses fell to the floor, dropped by their shocked holders.

There wasn't anything left for him here now, there was no reason for him to stay. Hermione imagined if she were a princess, her white knight upon his fiery steed would sweep her off her feet and gallop off into the sunset.

She squealed when he did indeed sweep her into his arms and began to carry her from the hall. She didn't need a white knight and a fiery steed; she had her dark prince and all the love in the world.

"You realize we are going to have to leave the castle after that spectacle, right?" she whispered into his ear, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders.

"Then leave we shall." He planted a kiss on her lips

 **A/N: I hope this chapter made up for the short abruptness of the last one… I hope you all liked this. I mean canonically Severus probably wouldn't have done this… But then again, there is nothing canon about my story so…**

 **I thought Severus deserved a break in his life and deserved to fall in love.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	18. Chapter 18

Hermione groggily opened her eyes slowly, the sunlight flooding into the room made her wince and shut her eyes tight together once more. She felt a warm, heavyweight draped over her bare ribcage and under her arm and she knew it was Severus and just that one fleeting realization that he was there, embracing her in such a way made her feel incredibly at ease.

She attempted to open her eyes again, the light assaulting her retinas once more and she assumed at a guess it was around ten in the morning and then the memories of the prior night came flooding back to her. He had not only confessed his love for her and asked her to marry him, but she recalled him telling Minerva in no roundabout term to shove her job up her ass. She did applaud him for the sheer balls he had shown.

She paled considerably when she also remembered she had walked or rather was carried out of there by him and the horrified looks on her friend's faces. That one she was happy about, but perhaps the scariest part of the whole thing was would she be ostracized for his actions? Would she be banished from Hogwarts and be unable to return to finish her last year?

She sat up bolt right and looked around the room, she literally had no idea where she was other than she was on an older bed in the middle of a room with tattered and worn wallpaper and threadbare carpet. All drapes were pushed aside to allow the sunlight to pour in through the grimy, cobweb-covered window and she hazards a guess that this was Severus' house and she wrinkled her nose up a little. He wasn't wrong when he said it needed to be fixed up which she hoped they could probably do sooner rather than later or perhaps she could sway him to move into her house.

The light hit the ring he had slid onto her finger last night, she had almost forgotten about. Fingering the rock gently with her index finger she smiled and admired the ring proudly. Her, Hermione, engaged before twenty-one and to her Potions Master none the less. Her life plan had never included any of that and here she was… how times had changed she thought to herself. Never is a million years did she think she would have not only found solace in Severus Snape, but she would also be fucking him-and enjoying it.

She frowned a little and pursed her lips when her mind flashbacked to the way her supposedly two best friends reacted when Severus had asked for her hand. Her heart clenched a little in her chest and the sheer sadness and disappointment she felt towards them and their clear dislike for her now. And the fucking hide of Harry thinking he would swoop in after ignoring her for so long and treated her like a piece of shit and just assuming she would want him and cling to him in sheer desperation to feel love. How very wrong was he?

A tapping at the window roused her from her mood souring thoughts and she groaned in anger and dread when she saw the owl at the window, she knew who owned it and she knew the letter would be nothing short of telling her how disappointed he was in her and that she should reconsider her options.

The beautiful snowy owl tapped on the window with little patience and she threw her bare legs over the edge of the bed and quickly made her way to the window totally naked and she was unsure how Severus had slept through not only her throwing his arm off of her but the tapping at the window.

She looked out over the quiet street. It was nothing to write home about she thought to herself, but it was his home and she would respect that. There were no pretty houses with their perfectly manicured lawns and their pretty flowering gardens here like she had at home. Lawns were bare; the gardens were overgrown and strangled with weeds and the houses were old and derelict.

The owl hopped from leg to leg in a bid to capture more of her attention. Harry had managed to track down one of Hedwig's now grown owlets- a surprise to everyone- and purchase the female snowy owl to replace his beloved, murdered pet. Not that it was replacing her, Harry would say, but she did fill the void that Hedwig had left behind.

She pulled the window open and the owl hopped in, shaking her leg rapidly expecting Hermione to take the parchment sooner rather than later and gently she reached out and untied the string and the owl flew away without even a second glance backward. How rude, she thought to herself. The arrogant owl was just like its arrogant owner, she thought to herself.

Just as she went to close the grimy window another owl appeared, just your run of the mill, average unassuming barn owl he was the type of owl that didn't look out of place gracing the skies or perched on a roof. But she knew this unassuming and unremarkable owl was a Hogwarts owl, one she had used on a few occasions to send various letters and he had proven time and time again his reliability.

He hopped in through the window and butted his head into Hermione's hand, she scratched his sleek, feathery head and he clacked his beak in appreciation before offering his leg to her. She took the parchment off his leg, gave him another scratch on the head and watched as he flew out of the window and floated along on an updraft. That was a nice owl, not like another certain own she had just had a run in with moments before.

"What are you doing?" Severus asked groggily, his voice straining with sleep and Hermione jumped slightly not realizing he was awake.

"Owls," She mumbled holding up the rolls of parchments, he visibly recoiled at the sight and rolled his eyes. He expected as much, but not this soon. She sauntered back over to the bed and sat down lightly on the bed, the old, saggy mattress moving and groaning even under her small frame.

He couldn't help but watch as the amazing specimen of a woman walked with grace across the room. He licked his lips hungrily and pressed her naked from under his heated gaze. How the fuck did he get so lucky?

She handed the parchment from the barn owl to Severus and kept the one Harry had sent her. They unrolled them in unison both scanning their respective parchments with feigned enthusiasm. They both just wanted to hide away from the world for a while and forget about their lives for a while. No responsibilities, no facing reality.

When Severus had executed his master plan the night before he didn't think about the consequences of his actions or taking them into account in the grand scheme of things. Well, fuck.

Hermione tossed her parchment on the bed with frustration and ran a hand over her face.

Severus screwed his up into a ball and threw it vigor; it hit the wall, bounced halfway across the room and came to sit in the middle of the room.

He eyed the ball of parchment as if it had just insulted him and murdered his family. He blindly searched for his wand; grabbing the smooth handle he incinerated the paper right there in the middle of the room. The paper left a small, black smoldering spot on the carpet but he didn't give a fuck, the house was already a derelict hole so why not add to it?

"That was a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

"I'm quite into dramatics of late, whythe theatrics last night were short of awe-inspiring."

"I'm not sure if I would use the word awe-inspiring in the context of what you executed." She played absentmindedly with a loose thread on the white sheet on the bed.

There was a silence that hung thick in the air for a moment as she continued to play with the thread like she wanted to ask him something but she didn't know if she should. Eventually, she settled for asking him what his letter had contained.

"Your letter…," She began but trailed off quickly.

"She asked me to come back and at least finish the year off and to bring you back."

"I see," She whispered. She didn't know if she did want to go back now the entire student body knew of her relationship with him. She knew she would be treated differently.

"She changed her tune," her voice distant still as she played with the thread, more than any sane person probably should have played with it.

"Your preoccupation is worrying."

"I'm fine."

"You are not."

A deep, heavy sigh forced its way from her body. "Harry basically said he wants nothing to do with me while I am having something to do with you. I am dead to him apparently." Sadness pushed into her tone and he knew despite the boy ignoring her and the way he had treated her that she still had a soft spot for him, and why shouldn't she? She had been his best friend and love at one stage. He had been a giant part of her life for a vast majority of it.

He hated to see her like this. Sad and despondent and he hated the fact that another person had caused this. The fierce snake within his heart had awoken and it was out for blood. No one upset his Hermione. Not Harry, not Ron, not a random stranger walking past her in the street.

He would make Harry right his wrongs, even if he had to hunt the cunt down and hang him upside down by the shackles decorating Filch's office.

Gently he reached out a hand and feather-light ran his calloused fingers against her soft, thin, creamy thigh. She smiled sadly at him through thick curly hair and he thought for a moment he saw tears pricking the corners of her eyes and his heart did a backflip. He hated to see her sad, he hated it more than anything in the world.

He snorted softly, the big bad ex-Death Eater who killed women and children without a backward glance was affected by the person he loved, the one person he until not all that long ago he couldn't stand. The one person he himself would have killed without even giving it a passing thought. Now, he would kill for the girl if he had to.

Oh, how the tides had turned.

 **A/N: Sorry for a long time between updates. This is just a little filler chapter, I plan or writing been two or three more chapters before this story ends. I am so glad you all loved the last chapter.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	19. Chapter 19

"Where are you off to?" She asked with a feigned interest cracking an eye open to find the room bathed in the early morning rising sun and him shrugging on his waistcoat with ease, stretching her arms out above her head listening to her spine popping back into place in an almost soft melodic way. Wayward auburn locks tangled and knotted wildly overnight during slumber.

A few days had passed since they had received their letters and both had decided to ignore them for the moment and to lock themselves away from the world and it had worked for the most part. Until Severus had been lying awake all night watching her sleeping peacefully while his mind raced a mile a minute and he wondered if what he had done was the right thing and a pang of guilt had stirred within him and then consumed every fiber of his being for the entirety of night as she took one breath after another and he realized that the relationship she had with her friends had just had a huge wedge driven between them in the form of himself. Well, a wedge bigger then what was already there anyway. Despite them treating her terribly the past few months he knew that deep down she still loved them and she still needed them.

Sure, she wouldn't come out and tell him that she craved their attention he just knew it. She couldn't go on for the rest of her life having only him to talk to and rely on, she wasn't that type of girl. He didn't want her to alienate herself from them and burn all the bridges.

He wanted the vivacious and fiery little witch back that he had seen previously in her prior years. He wanted the little lioness to raise her head high and roar fiercely for the world to hear. He wanted the sadness within her soul to be ebb and away and vanish into nothingness and he knew that she was too pig-headed and stubborn to do anything about it, he knew Harry was equally as stubborn and he wouldn't make an effort either so in essence, it was thrust wholly into his lap now. He knew Harry would be hard to sway but he had a plethora of ways and means to ensure Harry saw things his way…. Some physical and some not and he would use whatever force necessary to make Harry see how much of a prat he was being,

"Business," he muttered gruffly under his breath as he fished around the bedside table for his wand and pocketed it within his robes.

Hooded eyes blinked slowly at him as if trying to process what he had just said through the thick fog of sleep that still held her within its clutches and she only managed to mutter a disappointed, "Oh, ok." Before he had turned on his heel and strode from the room with purpose and the resounding crack of apparition filled her ears and she knew she was here alone for now.

-o-o-o-o-

Severus's fist hit the wet wooden door of Grimmauld place with anger and vigor Tugging his woolen traveling cloak tighter around his frame as the cold rain pelted down relentlessly on him he wished he had stayed at home in bed with Hermione where the sun was shining and he could live in denial about the worries in his life right now. Instead, he had traveled all the way to miserable fucking London where there were more people than he cared to even be near or think about, to talk to a stupid prat who wouldn't even listen to what he had to say for the woman he loved more than anything in his entire life. Love was stupid and yet, he couldn't pull himself from its deathly tight clutches.

The door creaked on its hinges; opening to reveal a bleary-eyed Harry Potter, white silk boxers looked as if they had been thrown on haphazardly in a bid to get to the door in time and the smell of whiskey enough to almost knock Severus off of his feet which said a lot considering not so long ago he had more alcohol than blood flowing through his veins. Raven hair wayward, wild and unkempt, green eyes weren't hidden by glasses, instead they squinted trying to make out who was at the door and once it clicked in his mind he made to slam the door in his face, only Severus wasn't having any of that thank you very much!

He jammed his leather-clad foot in the doorframe, preventing the door from closing. Harry tried in vain a few times to shut it, slamming the door over and over again into his foot but after a few tense moments realized that he wasn't going away so instead he pulled the door open allowing him in.

Severus stepped over the threshold and his brows knitted together in surprise at how airy and bright the house now was. Gone were the tapestries and threadbare carpets and the peeling wallpaper tangled with the scent of dampness and old people and instead the place looked as if it had been intensively renovated with no expense spared.

"What the fuck do you want?" Harry spat with venom as he led Severus to the kitchen and sat at the large table in the fresh looking kitchen. Severus followed suit and sat opposite Harry who picked up a packet of cigarettes off the table, shoved one in his mouth and lit it with the lime green lighter he had, before pushing the packet to Severus who eyed them apprehensively for a moment, took one and lit it.

The two sat in heavy silence for what seemed like an eternity, each other eyeing the other off, the only movement in the room was the drawing back on cigarettes and dropping the ashes into the ceramic ashtray in the middle of the table. The hatred for once another was palpable and they both had to hold themselves back from lunging over the table and strangling each other. The ticking of the clock on the wall above the kitchen sink was almost like a torture device to Severus, tick after tick only alerted him to the fact that he was wasting time sitting here not saying or doing anything.

The sound of footsteps from the room above roused him from his silence. "Have company, Potter?" He spat as he stubbed the smoke out in the ashtray.

"What business your is it?" Harry drew back on the last of the smoke before pressing the butt violently into the ashtray to extinguish it.

"Fuck you." The hatred for the boy was as blazingly obvious as the nose on his face.

"Fuck you too." Harry folded his arms tight across his chest in a clear portrayal that he wasn't interested in the least for the reason Severus was here but he knew it had to be something to do with Hermione because why else would he be here? He wouldn't be here to extend an olive branch of friendship.

The silence consumed them and gnawed at Harry's psyche before it got the better of him.

"Did you come here to spew profanities at me and tell me how much you hate me, or did you come here for a reason?"

"A bit of both, actually," he snorted with derision.

Footsteps padded softly down the stairs before a slender-framed dark-haired, tanned skin woman entered the kitchen scantily clad in little more than one of Harry's shirts that were just long enough to cover the bits that needed covering but left little to the imagination and Severus only raised a brow in question and got no answer. He couldn't help but rake his eyes from top to toe of the woman before managing to avert his gaze.

The girl opened the fridge silently, took a bottle of water as she glared at Severus apprehensively as if he were the oddest and scariest person she had ever come across in her life and scurried off back up the stairs leaving the two of them in a moment of silence again.

"Hermione," Severus began.

"Is dead to me," Harry offered.

"Hermione," Severus started again.

"Who?" Harry questioned with the utmost sincerity and Severus knew he was going to be a tough fucking nut to crack.

"She needs you, Potter. She needs all of her friends. She is lonely and she is lost."

"You don't fucking say," He slammed his fit hard down on the table with a resounding bang. "She is fucking you, the last person on earth she would have ever even shown some niceties to let alone lay down and spread her legs."

"And you have your self to blame for that, Potter," He tone matter of factly as he noticed the boy's nostrils starting to flare with anger.

Harry slid a shaky hand through his already messy hair and tousled it beyond recognition now. "Yeah, maybe, I dunno. I mean she went mental after she rejected Ron."

"And you, she rejected you," Severus added, rubbing salt into the obviously open and raw wound Hermione had left behind.

"And after she had decided to leave Ron because she wanted to finish her education it sort of drove a huge gap between us all. Ron's families were visibly disappointed in the fact that she had left him to go back to Hogwarts and they were angrier with her when he ended up with Lavender. They hate her, you know. But you didn't hear it from me. They cannot stand her clinginess and her petulance. "

"Interesting."

"And I just couldn't bring myself to hang around her when my feelings for her were not reciprocated, you know? And then I find out she is with you of all people and I guess I am just disappointed and hurt that she didn't want me, she didn't want Ron but she has accepted you with no qualms, someone she could hardly tolerate for half of her life and you are probably fucking her brains out every night and she agreed to marry you?"

He sighed haughtily as he lit another cigarette shakily drawing back on it and then holding it shaking in his hand. "You know how I felt when someone I loved so much, the one I thought maybe after Hogwarts would decide to come back to me once she had finished her education and I gave her space only to find it had driven her into your arms. I don't know how you did it or how many sweet nothings you whispered into her ear but I have to give credit where credit is due."

"I simply showed her friendship, I showed her that she mattered and I showed her understanding. While you and the weasel were out partying and gallivanting around the countryside she was tucked up in Gryffindor tower crying her fucking eyes out because she had no one. Crying her eyes out over the deaths of the war, her friends, of parents losing children and children losing parents. She is a sensitive soul even though she hides behind the tough persona, and she just wanted someone to talk to and you all shut her out. You all blew her off while she was desperately screaming out for help."

A large lump had formed in Severus's throat as he felt tears gently pricking at his eyes and he managed to blink them back quickly. "In a way, we both helped one another. Before Hermione, I was a raging alcoholic who cared little about myself and just wanted to keel over and die and now, now I have a purpose, a new lease on life, a new found love for everything. So I thank you, Potter, for your neglect and ignorance, because without it, I wouldn't have her and I would still be in a downward spiral towards impending death."

Harry blinked rapidly as if pushing his own tears back at what he had just heard. He had been so stupid to cut Hermione out of his life but he was equally surprised that Severus was opening up to him about his own demons and challenges in life.

"I…I had no idea that you were both…"

"Depressed. Hating life? No one did honestly. We needed each other more than we both knew and now we have one another she needs you, she needs her friends, Potter. The vivacious little Witch we all have come to know and love, the one that had to have the last say, the one that is way too opinionated for her own good and the one that would hold her head high and fight with the ferocity of a thousand suns has gone. We need to reawaken her and bring her out of her shell and we need the old Hermione Granger back," His voice was cold, despondent and almost distant. His shoulders slumped and his head lulled forward and Harry couldn't help but feel the hopelessness and desperation the man felt.

He looked at Severus with a range of emotions and feelings. Apprehension, admiration, loathing, pity, and awe all melded together and made him angry. He loathed the way that Hermione had chosen him, but he was in awe at the way he had marched into his home and laid down his feelings and worries on the table so raw and uncensored for him to see and that alone was enough to make him admire the man. He could see that despite the cold, hard and evil exterior there was a glimmer of someone who cared, a glimmer of a man who had feelings and could love and wasn't totally evil. A whole other person Harry had never met before and maybe, perhaps Severus Snape wasn't the one dimensional, wretched person he had come to know.

Harry could only sigh and rest his forehead hard against the wooden table in despair and uncertainty and gently he began to hit his own head over and over again on the hard surface and Severus could only look at him in disbelief.

"Are you okay, Potter?"

"I'm fine, frustrated and confused beyond measure but all in all I'm good," He growled as the banging got louder and harder.

"Normal people don't bash their skulls on tables when they are frustrated."

"I said I was fine, not normal."

"Touché. So can we put everything behind us and move forward for the sake of Hermione?"

Harry slowly looked up, perplexed. He really didn't know what to do right now in this situation. He pulled himself up to full height in his seat looking incredulously at Severus for a moment.

"While I don't think I can put everything behind us, I think we can move forward into fresh territory for the sake of Hermione. I will come by and visit her in the coming days, and for Christ sake, send her back to Hogwarts to finish off the year."

"Don't worry, I planned to." He got to his feet and showed himself to the front door. Well, that went better than expected.

 **A/N: Ok, ok so I think a few of you are right and I might not be able to wrap the story up in the two chapters I thought I would be able to… I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	20. Chapter 20

"Oh for Melin's sake!" Severus growled irritated as he rounded the corner and laid eyes on an unassuming grey tabby cat sitting at the front gate to his home watching him stride up the path. It was bad enough he had to go and extend the olive branch of friendship out to Potter, but he didn't want to have to put up with Minerva right now.

He just wanted to go inside and hide again from the world for a little while before he had to deal with anyone else, it was much too peopley outside for his liking and he had filled his quota for giving a damn today.

The grey tabby sauntered up to him and began rubbing its tiny head on his legs, sashaying in and out of his legs almost as if it were dancing with him.

"Pull your bloody self together, Minerva," he grumbled, tentatively trying to push the tabby away from him with his boot gently, but she was relentless, she kept approaching him and rubbing all over him.

"I swear to fucking Merlin, Minerva if you don't cut the bullshit you will have a size eleven boot up your ass and you won't need a time turner to send you back in time because the force in which I do it will break the space and time continuum as we know it and you will be hurled from here to last week."

The cat stopped intertwining itself around his legs and looked up him innocently as if understanding every word he had said, it blinked intently a few times before sauntering a few footsteps away and sitting with its back towards him on the pathway, overgrown with weeds and licked a front paw gently.

"Thank you," He said gruffly before turning and taking a few steps closer to his front door when the grey tabby came bolting up behind him, slipped in front of him almost tripping him over and clambering up his leg, each footfall on his leg punctuated with the sting of its claws through his thick robes straight into his pale, soft flesh.

An angered yelp was the only sound he made as the sting of the claws dug effortlessly into his skin and without a second thought he instinctively grabbed the cat around the neck and held it at arm's length. It began to hiss and flail its legs around in an attempt to scratch him in a bid to be free but he held steadfastly and wouldn't give in.

"Just what the fuck are you playing at, Minerva!" He almost yelled in the cats face, anger beating around his body with every flutter of his heart and he couldn't help but stiffen and turn slowly when a thick, stern Scottish brogue sounded from behind him.

"I'm not playing at anything honestly," tone was almost a false innocence.

He turned on the spot, cat still outstretched in his hands as he looked between Minerva standing in front of him and the small tabby cat in his hands. The little colour that graced his cheeks fell by the wayside and vanished and his mouth opened and closed rapidly like a fish out of water before the colour returned ten-fold, colouring his cheeks beet-red.

"So this isn't you?" He asked in disbelief as if he had just seen Voldemort himself walk up the path.

"Obviously."

"Err,… Right so then who is it?"

"It appears to be a cat, Severus." She smiled pitifully at him, gently tapped his shoulder a few times before taking the cat from his grasp, setting it on the ground and watched as it scurried off without a glance back towards him.

They both stood awkwardly, shrouded in silence for a few moments, Severus not knowing what to say and felt rather put on the spot.

"Can we go inside?" The elder witch asked politely.

"We can," he confirmed but still stood stock still.

"Well, shall we head that way."

"You asked if we could go inside and I gave you an answer, anyone can get inside via the front door, or a window, the house is not impossible to enter. Perhaps you should have asked the question a little differently."

She took a calming deep breath, even now as an adult he was still as much as a sarcastic annoying shit as he was as a child.

"Shall we go inside? Let's go inside." She tried to cover as many bases as she could to by-pass his sarcastic mind.

"And if I don't feel like dealing with you today?" He questioned darkly.

She pursed her lips together and looked down at him with bitterness swirling behind her spectacles.

"Then I shall camp outside until you see fit, so it's better to talk to me now and deal with it than slowly peel the proverbial band-aid off and prolong the pain."

Dark eyes looked as if they resigned to the fact he wasn't getting out of this, fabric-clad shoulders slumping forward in resignation and he slowly walked towards the door with trepidation in his step.

Leading her through the quaint shithole of a house, he stepped through to the kitchen, stepping back and allowing her to enter eyes scanned the room quickly. It certainly had seen better days, from the water-stained countertops to the peeling wallpaper as well as the outdated linoleum and she wondered if the easiest option here would be fuel and a match and start over again.

Gruffly he inclined his head hard towards the table. She pulled out a chair and sat on it primly, knitting her fingers together and placing them on the old wooden table that had seen better days and she almost feigned a guess that it might have been as old as she was.

"To what do I owe the displeasure of your company?" His tone prickly and cold.

"Well, Potter informed me that you visited him and had a little chat and I thought while you were in such a jovial and generous mood that I would visit you to chat."

"My mood was jovial until you showed up," his voice dark and menacing. "And how the fuck did you know I visited the golden child?" He spat.

"Well you see," She began, a small smile tugged at the corners of her thin pink lips. "I and Potter had a wager. I bet that you would be the first to cave and contact one of us, he laid his galleons on Hermione." She tapped the pocket of her robes, smiling. "You made me a pretty penny today."

"You bet on Hermione and I! Where do you people honestly get off, is nothing off limits?"

"So now wouldn't be a good time to tell you we have an even bigger wager on when you will impregnate the girl? I said within a year, Harry says within two. Weasley thinks you will never do it because you are and I quote, an old git who is probably past getting an erection and is shooting blanks."

"I can assure you I have no trouble in that department at all. Satisfaction is totally guaranteed."

"Thank you for sharing, Severus." She smiled meekly.

"Now, what do you want?" He snarled.

"That's a bit rude." She eyed him sideways disapprovingly.

"I'm a rude person. Now, what do you want?" He snapped coldly.

"I think you know what I want," She said primly, straightening her shoulders and sitting back just a touch.

"Not the foggiest idea, honestly," tone impassive, face stoic.

She exhaled hard out of her nose. "Cut the crap, Severus. You are a smart man."

"Smart enough not to engaged in conversation where you will beg and you will plead and then you will offer my an ultimatum to come back to Hogwarts to teach just for the rest of the year and before I know it another twenty years will have passed in the blink of an eye and I will still be shackled to that cesspool of misery." Folding his arms tight across his chest he conveyed the message loud and clear that he was not interested in the least.

"Just till they all finish their NEWTS, they need you," her voice strained, pleading.

He snorted hard. "None of them need me, in fact, I am sure most of them celebrated the moment I walked out of there."

"Well… Yes but that's beside the point. Please, Severus. Just till the end of the term, when they all head home for the holidays you can mull over whether you want to continue teaching or if you wish to explore other avenues."

Wiping the palms of his hands over his eyes roughly he sighed haughtily. He hated being so easily presided.

"Find someone else."

"There is no one at such short notice." Worry swam behind her eyes if she couldn't recruit him soon for the end of the term, she didn't know what would happen. No one at Hogwarts was at the caliber he was to even think about teaching potions.

"Horace," He counter offered.

"I tried him. He flatly refuses to come back. He told me no amount of galleons could sway him. You are all we have. Please," Desperation laced her tone in the last bid to sway him to her side.

"What happened to the board of directors wanting to fire me once they found out I was fornicating with a student."

"You honestly think they would have cared about you sleeping with a twenty-year-old. A girl old enough to consent? It was I who didn't want it to happen. The two of you are totally wrong for one another. Incompatible on paper but you work so well together in practicality. I thought she deserved more, someone else who wasn't as angry, as dour, and as miserable as you but now I can see you two are perfect for one another. You bring out the best and worst in one another and that alone tells me the two of you are meant to be."

"I made a total fool or myself, purchased a store, have started plans to open my own business and left my job all because you had some ideology in your head that Hermione and I weren't meant to be together? Because you didn't want her with me?!" He shook his head with vigor, black inky hair following the movement of his head.

"You have to realize, Severus, I see the girl as a daughter I never had. I didn't want her talents to go waste."

"I'm the one person who would encourage her talents not hinder them. For fuck sake Minerva, you ruin my life and then come back and ask me to come back and drop this shit on me." He slammed his open palms on the table hard; causing Minerva to jump high in the air at the sudden and harsh assault on her eardrums.

"I know you will do the right thing, Severus and I am sure you can understand my thoughts and views." She elegantly rose to her feet in one fluid movement and nodded curtly.

"I will just be taking my leave now. I know you will choose to do the right thing, Severus, you usually always do. I will see you on Monday, and ensure you bring Miss Granger along. She deserves to finish her schooling."

"And have the entire school body hounding and harassing her because she is sleeping with me? You are out of your fucking mind," He snarled with the ferocity of a rabid dog.

"We will make provisions, Severus. I will see the two of you on Monday, bright and early. Just till after NEWTS and then you are free to pursue other avenues." She turned on her heel and saw herself out.

He laid his head on the table, despondent. He was forever going to be shackled to that castle, that place of shattered dreams and that place of heartache. Fuck Minerva and her ability to play mind games.

 **A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. I am so humbled.**

 **To Guest: Yeah, I guess I kind of did overuse 'and' in the last chapter. I hope I didn't do it in this one. Sometimes I just don't even think what I am writing.**

 **Not sure how many more chapters there will be… Two chapters ago I said there would only be two but err… It's kind of taking on a life of its own and keeps expanding.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	21. Chapter 21

Hermione smoothed her palms over her school skirt and sighed forlornly, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she frowned sadly at her reflection, her attention catching on a strand of wayward hair, which she tucked quickly behind her ear.

Gulping hard she tore her gaze from the mirror, she was only prolonging the pain of going back to Hogwarts.

When Severus had informed her that Minerva had come to see him and basically given him no option at all, Hermione had become volatile and it took all of his strength to hold the brazen little bitch from leaping into the floo and strangling Minerva. He had, of course, managed to calm her down by rationally explaining he wanted her to finish her schooling so should she wish to pursue higher education, she wouldn't have any hurdles in her way.

And now here she was, on the morning she was meant to return to Hogwarts and the bile in her stomach had made its way up her throat on a few occasions and threatened to spill onto the ground below her.

What would people think of her? What would people think of him? He was known as the dour, irate professor that kept to himself; the unbearable, wretched man who kept to himself and didn't show an ounce of empathy towards anyone.

She was the quiet, reserved know-it-all who was quite opinionated when it counted and of course she was Harry Potters best friend. She was part of the golden trio, she helped Harry defeat Voldemort and here she was not only fucking a Slytherin but a former Death Eater, one of Voldemorts most loyal and devout, but she had obviously gotten close enough and formed enough of a relationship with him to warrant a marriage proposal behind everyone's backs without even piquing an ounce of interest. Everyone would view her in a different light now and she knew there would be some snide remarks thrown her way.

A lump formed in her throat and tears pricked her eyes. Severus walked into the bedroom where his wife-to-be was standing, staring aimlessly in the mirror and he couldn't help but feel a little dirty looking at her in her school uniform and feeling like a dirty pervert. He couldn't help but feel wretched for the position she was about to be put in. He knew how the Gryffindor's would condemn and ostracize her for such a thing and she would be alone, more so than she was before. The Slytherin's bar Draco would be none too enthused either, it was no secret that many of them harbored animosity towards her for various things, the biggest thing was that she had a hand in the downfall of Voldemort and thus, most of their parents ended up in Azkaban or dead.

He cleared his throat and she jumped slightly, turning to face him, he could see the tears in her eyes and worry that swirled behind them.

"We should go," He said softly and the girl looked at him for a few moments as if weighing up her options and by the look on her face, he thought she might just leap out of the nearest window and vanish from his life.

She sighed with resignation, she had to do this, and she couldn't run and she couldn't hide. She would hold her head up high and walk into that castle without even showing a hint of fear.

She nodded solemnly as if she had just received news that her whole family had been slaughtered at the hands of Voldemort himself. She tried to hold her head high as she walked towards him but with every single step she took her mouth got drier and her legs got heavier and the lump of her throat grew until she practically collapsed into his arms and sobbed into his robes. All he could do was hold her tight against him as she cried all of her worries away and pain away.

He never did tell her he went to see Harry and he knew eventually they boy would come around and see her but he assumed he needed to fight with the demons in his own head before coming to terms with Hermione not wanting to be in a relationship with him. He knew that part of the girls worry and pain was that she still felt so alone and while he loved her and tried to show his affection, there were some aspects of her life that he couldn't fill the void and he hoped Harry would come to see her sooner rather than later because right now, the girl was fragile and at risk of falling apart completely.

She pressed herself harder into his arms seeking even more affection and comfort than he was already giving her. She needed to feel him; she needed to know that everything would be all right. In actual fact, she realized she was acting in the most irrational manner right now for someone who had to go back to Hogwarts and for a month to finish their exams but she couldn't control the emotions that were gnawing deep within her.

She withdrew from his body and started up at him through tear filled eyes. Gently he wiped a tear from her cheek with her thumb with affection.

"I'm ready," She whispered meekly, blinking up at him rapidly. He only nodded and tried to hide the sadness that he felt for Hermione. He loved her, that much was obvious or he wouldn't be standing here with her and he only wanted what was best for her.

-o-o-o-o-

Minerva had opened a floo line directly to her office. She paced backward and forwards with impatience eyeing the clock on the wall that broke the silence in the otherwise quiet room. She needed him to come back; she needed him to finish off the year. It turned out Potion's Masters were hard to come by, even more so Potions Masters that were willing to teach children; they were virtually nonexistent and she realized she needed Severus more than she knew before and it may be in her best interests to accommodate his needs than fight against him and hopefully he would stay on for many more years to come.

The fireplace roared into motion as Severus and Hermione stepped through together, he held her hand tight and the elder witch noted the tears flowing down the girls face but couldn't help but feel a little upset that Hermione had found solace and love in someone so much older, someone so much angrier and someone with so much animosity harbored within his soul; he was a polar opposite to the girl.

"You came," She tried to hide the elation in her voice, she wasn't sure he would show up if she were being honest and the fact he did took a huge load off of her shoulders.

"I am only here for her," He snapped gruffly, squeezing Hermione's hand tightly who was sniffling softly, trying to get her emotions into check.

"Indeed," Minerva almost sounded bored as she made her way back to her desk and tilted her head at two chairs opposite, they sat down quickly

She steepled her fingers and rested her elbows on her desk. The tension was so thick you would have almost needed a machete to cut through it.

"I've made some provisions for the two of you," Minerva began, and she noted an absence of the engagement ring from Hermione's finger and thought it was the wisest decision the girl could make. Walking around here with that on her finger would have been open slather for everyone to have an unwanted say.

"How kind of you," Severus almost physically spat.

"Considering what has happened…" She trailed off for a moment as if trying to form the right words to say without sounding both heartless and condescending.

"I think it is best if Hermione moves into your chambers with you, I am unsure of the reception any of the students will give her, especially her own house and given she spent more time with you than not down there before I don't see any problem with it now," She sniffed indignantly.

He could only chuckle. "You realize how obtuse you are being right now? Everything that happened was because YOU didn't want us together and now you are _accommodating_ us by allowing her to reside in my chambers. Do you realize somewhere in that doltish mind of yours that if you had have allowed this in the first place we wouldn't be in this situation right now? I would have still been teaching willingly and I wouldn't have had to put on a spectacle the other night to get my point across." He rubbed his temples and took calming breathes in a bid to stop himself jumping over the table between them and strangling her till she stopped breathing.

Minerva jutted out her chin and opened and closed her mouth a few times as she tried to work out what to say to him. He was harsh with words and he had no filter and she knew not to take anything he said personally. He had a way of rubbing people up the wrong way but he also had the irritating ability to call people out on things and say it exactly the way it was.

"I still stand by my decision," She said pointedly glaring at Severus with condemnation.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" he rose just so from his chair, gripping the edge of the desk to stop his hands from reaching over and seizing her around the throat. His fingers twitched a the very thought.

"You _beg_ me to come back here because you need me. I have to drag her along where she is clearly petrified of the retribution she will receive from her peers and you tell me you still stand behind your initial decision? Do you have any fucking idea how inept you are being right now? Do you have any fucking idea how much I don't want to be here but I forced myself to suck it up as a favor to you and you _still_ don't support my decision, her decision." He shook his head in disbelief violently.

"Let's not let personal views get in the way of our professional relationship, Severus," her thick Scottish accent had anger tangling in it.

"You know what, Minerva? I have had a fucking gutful of your shit and your clear hatred towards me. Your clear disapproval of our relationship is just rubbing salt into the proverbial wounds. You can shove the job up your ass and I will seek out alternate arrangements for Hermione to finish her studies. I don't care if I have to pay the ministry ten thousand fucking galleons to sit them privately. Have a house elf bring the last of our belongings to my home and don't fucking forget her cat."

Hermione wiped at the fresh batch of tears spilling down her face with the back of her hand. Severus guided her to her feet and back to the fireplace.

"Have fun finding someone Minerva and don't you dare come back begging me again or I will fucking hex you from here to next year." He nodded his head curtly and vanished in a swirl of flames.

 **A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for the long delay. I was snowed under with websites and logos for clients and sadly they come first because they pay the bills.**

 **I am so humbled by your reviews, and yes, I read every single one of them and they always bring a smile and brighten my day.**

 **I wasn't sure where to go with this chapter, at first all was going to be fine and he was going to go back to teaching but he kinda went rogue and wrote this chapter himself.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	22. Chapter 22

Hermione cried when they got back to Spinners end, and she cried for the rest of the day. In fact, Severus couldn't think back to a time during the day when she hadn't cried. She cried because she was hot, cold, hungry, angry, the most little inconvenience set her into a sobbing mess. One minute she could be screaming at him and the next she was crawling into his lap and with the closeness she was trying to obtain he was sure she was trying to crawl into his skin and wear it as a suit.

He was confused and he was trying his hardest to be a decent human being towards her but it was hard when she would push him away and then demand him to come back. It was trying, so very, very trying.

She had cried when he asked her what she wanted for lunch and she had broken into heavy sobs when he asked her what her issue was. She had almost hit him in the head with a shoe when he asked her if there was anything he could do and it wasn't through lack of trying on her part, it was her aim that had sent the shoe a few centimeters off the trajectory, just missing him.

He couldn't understand the complete attitude change the girl was displaying and he was concerned. He was unsure if it was the anger and uncertainty that she started the day off.

This was the exact reason he kept his distance from not only students but also humans of the female variety. There were happy one minute and volatile the next.

So after a week had passed and Hermione was still screaming at him one second and trying to jump his bones the next, he grew even more concerned, not about her wanting to fuck him several times a day, he was all for that, but the sudden onset of the crying and anger was a little worrying and he suggested to her that perhaps they go see a healer because she clearly had some form of undiagnosed, deep-lying issue that was coming to the surface.

And she had agreed to go then and there, because to be quite honest she was sick of feeling like this, like her emotions were clouding her judgment and pressing down hard on her chest. Like she had no control over how she felt, the way her mouth went rogue and screamed at him when she really didn't want to.

-o-o-o-o-

Hermione nervously nibbled her bottom lip as her legs swung casually over the edge of the bed at St Mungo's. She was sitting on a bed, alone. She loved Severus with every fiber of her being but some things, she just wanted to do alone. He had, of course, protested for a few moments but realize it was easier to leave her be than argue the point.

The young, blonde haired healer walked in beaming at her, a clipboard in hand. He was tall, hair was spiked up haphazardly and Hermione recognized him from Hogwarts a few years ago, he was sure he was a Huffle Puff.

"What brings the amazing Hermione Granger here this morning?" He asked with feigned interest, glaring at the girl expectantly.

"Well for starters, I am just Hermione Granger. My name is not preceded with great, or amazing or any variations thereof." She sniffed indignantly at him.

He chose to ignore her.

"And, if you must know I am here because I cannot control my mood of late. I want to bite Severus's head off one minute and then I can't get enough of him the next." Heat crept into her cheeks as she explained her unique and off situation.

"Severus? As in Severus Snape, Severus?" The healer looked at her as if she had just grown a second head and he was concerned it may tear his throat out.

"Well I don't know any other Severus's," She snapped, irate. What the hell did this have to do with her mood swings?

"The snarky, bitter, twisted, angry Potions Master from Hogwarts that harbors so much animosity within him and antagonizes people just to get a rise from them?"

"Look, he isn't perfect and he is probably all those things you said but this is about me and not him." If she were standing, she would have stomped her foot to show her displeasure.

"Yes, right, so uncontrolled mood swings bring you here?"

"Obviously. Unless I stuttered." She bit.

"You are Severus are perfect for one another, you have a sharp tongue as he does."

"I learned from the best." She smiled with false enthusiasm, which almost came out as a sneer.

"Are you pregnant?" The healer asked as Hermione's eyes grew wide, her heart skipped a beat and her palms became sweaty. He mouth opened agape and didn't move as she tried to think if this was possible.

"I…I don't know. I don't think so," she stuttered, emotion void in her tone.

"It would explain a lot. Lay down."

She was in too much of a stupor to even think, to retort back, she did as she was told, shutting her eyes tightly as worry gnawed at her internally. What if she was? How would he take it? He would hate her; surely he didn't want kids, not yet anyway.

She didn't want to open her eyes, she didn't want to see what was happening, if she pretended this wasn't happening, she might open her eyes back at home and coming here would have been nothing but a dream.

"Hermione? You can sit up now," the healer tried to rouse her after what seemed an eternity, her eyes still shut tight, she opened them slowly, blinking rapidly as the lights assaulted her retinas.

"Do you want the news?"

"Is it good or bad?" She asked sadly, almost like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"Depends what light you look at the news in, I guess." He shrugged. "The good news is, I know why you are having terrible mood swings."

"And why is that?" She asked in a strained, dreaded whisper.

"Congratulations, you are going to be a mother. The mood swings are just your hormones rampaging around your body as it changes. The first trimester is always the worst and then they will die down after a while."

She nodded solemnly as tears pricked her eyes, chest heaving with every jagged breath that tried to force itself out of her chest. She wasn't registering her surroundings or what was happening because she jumped almost off the bed when she felt a hand gently placed on her shoulder.

"Hermione?" Severus waved a hand in front of her eyes and clicking, trying to pull her from her reverie.

"Oh, Severus, you gave me such a fright." She held a hand over her heart as it threatened to beat out of her chest with fear of being startled.

"Sorry about that. The healer told me you were finished so I came in to get you, you were off with the pixies just staring at the wall. What was the verdict?" He asked gently as she looked to him with tears welling in her eyes.

"I…" Her throat went dry and her breath got stuck in her throat, her mouth tried to form the words but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

He dropped a hand to her chin and tilted her head to look at him, he tried to capture her gaze with his own but she averted hers to the floor.

"Hermione, what is it, are you sick?" Worry ebbed its way into his voice and his heart dropped.

"I'm not sick. I'm… I'm pregnant she," she managed to gasp out, her throat as dry as the Sahara.

She watched as his face fell and the little color that he usually had in his face drained to white.

Well, Fuck.

"I'm sorry," She sobbed, dropping her head to look at the floor. "It's all my fault, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" He asked, perplexed.

"Ruining your life. Giving you a child you probably don't want."

His shoulders shook as he laughed, wrapping his arms around the girl to comfort her, she pressed her head hard into his chest whilst he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"You haven't ruined my life, little witch. Don't you ever think you have ruined my life. You have made my life worth living. You don't think I want children?" He questioned in wonder.

"You seem to dislike them so much."

"I dislike other people's children, Hermione. You don't think having children with you was on the cards? I am marrying you, I love you, children kind of go hand in hand with that." He ran a splayed hand shakily through his ink black hair.

She sniffed sadly. "So you aren't angry?"

"Why would I be angry over something like that? I love you more than you would ever know, witch. This is the greatest gift anyone has ever give me." He tenderly kissed the top of her head.

Him. A father. Not something he had ever imagined in his life but something he wanted never the less and thanks to his little witch his entire life was about to change.

 **A/N: Slowly getting to the end of the story. A few more chapters I think (I am sure I said that about five chapters ago lol)**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	23. Chapter 23

"I can't do this," Hermione sobbed, face hiding behind her hands as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "Two people. Us. People like us shouldn't be allowed to procreate, let alone raise a child. I barely have my life together, there should be a set of criteria to pass before they hand you your baby after birth," she said with the utmost sincerity.

He couldn't help but smirk at her in an amused fashion. "We might not have it all together but I assure you, we will be fine, Hermione." He leaned casually on the wall, arms folded over his chest tightly, eyes fixated on the girl moping about on the bed.

"No, really, we won't. I am going to screw this child's head up before it's even set foot at Hogwarts!" She snarled at him, curling her top lip in disgust at how he was acting so casually and coolly.

"You are being so melodramatic my little witch, you will be a perfectly fine mother." A dismissive hand was waved quickly.

"I don't know the first thing about babies," She protested with sad tears pricking her eyes as she looked to him for some semblance of assurance but was only met with an amused smirk and he was clearly enjoying her worrying a little too much. "They don't just come with a manual to tell you how to deal with them, do they?" She looked to him, hope glimmering in her eyes, a statement masquerading as a question.

"No. Babies do not come with manuals but I am assuming it's all common sense, I mean our parents never had manuals and we have survived long enough to procreate and be as clueless on the matter as they were, it's been going on for eons,"  
he offered casually in a bid to settle her mind on the matter. She had plenty of time to come to terms with her impending dive into motherhood.

"I can't even deal with this right now. We aren't even married," she snapped at him looking for every single reason as to why she shouldn't have a baby.

"A mere inconvenience that can be easily overturned." He shrugged. It wasn't like they didn't have plans to wed and it mattered not if the child was born out of wedlock, this was the nineties, not the fifties where women were forced to wed or give up their babies for fear of retribution.

She went to open her mouth to protest but was forcibly stopped by a loud banging on the front door. She looked with worry at Severus.

"Are we expecting anyone?" She whispered in a hope the person at the front door wouldn't hear her.

Black hair swinging backward and forward like a curtain caught in the breeze as he confirmed her answer with a shake of his head.

"Should we pretend we aren't home?" She asked hopeful, he only laughed in return.

"As much as I too hate interacting with other humans, I feel the correct procedure would be to open the door like a decent human being."

"But we aren't decent. We are sheltered humans who tolerate one another and no one else." She harrumphed.

The corners of his lips twitched as a small smile spread on his lips. "And this is why I love you so much." He left the room only to return moments later, Harry Potter trotting along behind him like an obedient puppy following its master.

An awkward silence shrouded them in tension. Harry shifted awkwardly on the spot, Hermione stared at him with loathing and trepidation in her eyes and Severus assumed it would be up to him to diffuse the situation.

"Hermione, talk to Potter, make peace with one another you will both feel better." Smooth, Severus, real smooth he told himself with mock praise. Could he have been any colder and less interested in his tone?

Turning on his heel he left the room. He didn't want to be there to hear them hash out their issues, and he didn't feel it was any of his business. He knew Harry still loved Hermione deeply and he knew Hermione loved Harry platonically and not romantically anymore.

"Have you been crying?" Harry asked softly, standing near the doorway casting a sad look at her as he rubbed an upper arm awkwardly, shifting on the spot uncomfortably. "I swear to god if he hurt you I will-"

She smiled through the tears. "He hasn't done anything." She sniffled, standing up and closing the gap between them, only a foot or two remained. "Well, I guess in a way he has but not directly."

"Then why are you crying?" Harry could never comprehend females and their emotions.

She watched him intently for a few seconds, wondering if he deserved to know or if she should spare him the details. He wasn't exactly the most pleasant person towards her of late, but she felt if she kept it bottled up, she might just implode.

She took a deep breath, pausing for a moment wondering the best way to tell him. "I'm pregnant," She whispered sadly yet simply.

Harry looked like he had gone three rounds with a boxer; his stomach dropped to his feet, mouth dry, and heart hammering against his chest like it was about to explode. Hands clenched open and closed for a few seconds as he tried to process what he was told. Pulled only from her revere as the girl almost collapsed into his arms sobbing her heart out.

He held her tight in his embrace, even after he was a total git to her, she still sought the comfort he could offer her as a friend. She sobbed heavily in his arms holding onto him like he was her lifeline.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I don't know what to say," his voice but a harsh whisper that flew past her ear. He was shocked and upset, to say the least. He knew deep down she loved Snape but he couldn't help think that maybe, just maybe there would be hope for them eventually one day once she got the whole Snape infatuation thing out of her system. After all, she was young and tastes change as you age.

He guided her to the bed and sat her down gently; sitting beside her he rubbed her back softly as she continued to sob.

He couldn't help but have a bitter taste in his mouth over the news. The number of times he had told himself over and over again, playing the fantasies of how excited he would be should she come to him and tell him she was carrying his child had whirled through his mind over and over again and now here he was receiving news but not exactly how he had imagined it.

"I owe Minerva money," he whispered so softly he had hoped she hadn't heard him, if she did, she chose to ignore it.

"I've destroyed my life, I've stuffed everything up between us, I feel alone and helpless," She continued to cry into his shoulder. Well, at least she knew she had stuffed up at least.

"Everything will work out, Hermione," He tried to console her, voice monotone and almost cold.

Silence hung thick in the air as he awkwardly stroked her back over and over again as she cried her heart and soul out to him.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Hermione…" he trailed off as she stiffened at his statement. "For what its worth I was just an asshole to you because I loved you and you broke my heart…"

"Excuse me?" She managed to bite out, pushing herself away from him and putting a small gap between them. "I broke your heart?! You broke mine, Harry Potter," She screeched loudly, causing him to jump in fright.

"No, pretty sure you broke mine first, that time Ron came back and you decided it was in his best interest to cut romantic ties, that fucking crushed me, Hermione. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and stomped on by a Hippogriff. And then I had to stand idly while I watched you fall for Ron and not me. Do you know how much that hurt me?"

He stood and began pacing, his mind racing, fingering his hair he caught some between his fingers and started pulling it in frustration. "And then when you and Ron broke up and you came to me and punched me square in the face because I tried to console you…" He trailed off resting his head hopelessly in his hands.

She regarded him for a minute, why did it take something like this to finally bring true feelings to light? He could have told her how he felt long before any of this but it was much too late now.

"You tried to fuck me that night Harry Potter and you know it. I came to you looking for a shoulder to cry on and you mistook my weakness as being an easy fuck that night. If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have ignored and abandoned me when I reached out to you over and over again." Tears pricked her eyes again as she was forced to relive the memories again.

"I thought that is what you wanted when you came to me, a rebound, a way to fuck your frustrations and anger out. And if you must know I didn't contact you because I was fucking hurt. Hurt that the one person I really loved in my life punched me and stormed out. I thought you didn't want me. And then, then I come back and Draco is practically all over you, which okay, whatever floats your boat I could deal with that. And then oh no it's not Draco you are with it is fucking Severus Snape instead?"

He punched the wall in pure anger and frustration causing Hermione to jump on the spot in both surprise and shock at what he had done.

"And then, oh no wait, not only had you been seeing Severus Snape behind everyone's back, you had been fucking him senseless and then, then comes the best part, he asks you to marry him in front of everyone there. Do you know how that made me feel?"

"Well with all due respect Harry, it isn't all about you."

"And then, then here comes the kicker, I come here to apologize and you lay the boot in once more right into my heart by telling me you are carrying his child. Well, fuck, Hermione. I don't know if I can take any more news from you, Hermione. I don't think my heart can take any more of a beating from you. I love you and I always have and I probably always will. I will be here for you but I don't know it what capacity. This will shatter my standing by watching your progress through life with him by your side rather than me."

"Harry, I'm sorry it ended up like this. I didn't know you felt that strongly but I love Severus. I love you as a friend don't get me wrong…" She walked over to him, gently, running a soft hand over his hot cheek looking into green, sad eyes, tears welling the depths.

"I love you and I will be here for you, Hermione because I love you that much, but right now I need time to get my thoughts in order and come to terms with the fact I have lost you." Pushing her hand away he turned his back to her and walked out leaving her even sadder and despondent than before he had arrived.

-o-o-o-o-

Severus paced up and down the hall that night long after Hermione had gone to sleep. He didn't know what to think, to feel, to process. He couldn't sleep, the thoughts of the news they had received dancing heavily ion his mind, clouding his judgment like a heavy storm that had blown in.

He loved the girl with all of his heart. He was a lot of things, sadistic, sarcastic, evil and ill-tempered but a father he was not. He was quite happy to ensure the Snape name died with him, but here he was. Oh, how the universe could twist and turn and change people's lives in a Nano-second.

He hated children, but he knew he wouldn't hate his own child. When it was your own child, there was something deep inside of you that ignited, that awoken. A primal beast within that stirred and roared loudly for the entire world to hear. Feelings of love and adoration that you could make something so perfect, so sweet and so innocent clouded people's perceptions and ensured they loved and protected their child.

He got that; he saw it happen time and time again. Even the hardest Death Eaters had been rendered almost cationic at the sight of their children when they were born. Smitten parents holding babes in arms protectively, hands hovering below the child when someone wanted to hold it should they drop it.

But he, he wasn't father material. He wasn't even close to husband material. It wasn't all that long ago he was drinking himself into oblivion to pass the days and forget how bad his life was and now here his was, engaged to marry one of his ex-students for fuck sake and she was bearing his child. If someone had have told him this even a year ago, he would have hexed them from here to last week and told them they were being obtuse and yet, here he was.

He could already tell the girl was talking herself out of wanting to have the baby, not that she really had much choice and he felt if she kept telling herself she would be a terrible mother that she would end up believing the lies she told herself.

The news was almost like a punch to the face. It was right then that he realized he didn't have his life together, not even close. There was no way he was ready for a baby, his life was in shambles, he had no job, he had savings behind him but not enough to raise a child, he knocked up a girl who hadn't even graduated from Hogwarts and burnt a few bridges along the way.

Well, fuck.

 **A/N: It's been a while… I hope you like this chapter. I plan to have this story done before Christmas so buckle up for a few more chapters between now and then.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	24. Chapter 24

Severus tentatively tried to roll out of bed the next morning without disturbing Hermione. The darkness before dawn enveloped the bedroom and a slight chill in the air.

Feather-light steps padded across the room gathering garments needed to dress and make a swift escape. He had a list of things he needed to do before the poor wretched child he had sired entered the world and he was determined to get them done, for both Hermione and the baby.

He wouldn't lie to himself; he was scared. Scared of the what's and if's. Scared he would be a shitty father like his own pathetic sire but most of all he was scared of the unknown. Sure, he taught children for a good portion of his life but that was different. They were someone else's beasts of burden that he could gleefully forget about as the piled out of his classroom at the end of a lesson. But now, now this was a new ball game. This child was his own to care for and to raise. His to educate right from wrong and that really, really worried him. He wasn't exactly an upstanding pillar of the community. Sure, he knew right from wrong but his life choices were questionable at best and he only hoped that his own child didn't want the tightrope between what was right and what was easy.

The floorboards creaked under his feet just as he was about to grab his boots and tiptoe from the room. He grimaced and turned slowly on the spot, heart racing, hoping to the gods above that he didn't wake her up. He loved her but he didn't need to be asked the who, where, why and how of his whereabouts, not right now anyway. He sighed softly, the soft rise and fall of her chest told him she didn't wake, she didn't even stir

Padding from the room, arms full of his clothing he dressed as he walked the length off the hallways to the kitchen where he grabbed an old piece of scrap paper and an old quill that had been laying on the bench for what looked like years and scribbled a note telling her he would be back in a few days. Throwing the quill on the bench, he pulled his boots on and left the house, softly walking down the pathway. He could only hope he could achieve what he was setting out to do. For Hermione, he reminded himself as he apparated.

-o-o-o-o-

"Sev-," Hermione was searching every room of the run-down house for him when she stumbled upon his scribbled letter he had left her. "Typical," She bit with a roll of the eyes, scrunching up the parchment angrily and throwing it with all her might, watching as the ball of paper hit the wall and bounced off. As if it wasn't boring enough in here without being here all alone.

She sighed forlornly and soundlessly made her way to his dusty sitting room where the walls were lined with book after book, year's worth of dust coating them from neglect and sitting unused.

A single digit traced feather-light along dusty, illegible spines, dying a little inside at the way in which the books had been disregarded and left to sit idle and uncared for. Long white index finger mingling with ancient dust resting on a spine. Gently she pulled the book out and eyed it with deep regard.

-o-o-o-o-

"Severus?" Hermione snapped her book shut she had plucked off the shelf days prior, mesmerized with every single word on the page that her eyes drank in.

The front door had just opened and closed rapidly followed by heavy footsteps alerted her to the fact that he must, after days finally be home, or at least she hoped it was him.

When he didn't answer she gently placed the book on the floor, rising to her feet and fishing for her wand she white-knuckled it, holding with every ounce of her strength should she need to use it.

"Severus?" She asked again gently, stepping out into the hallway, arm shaking rapidly with fear and adrenaline should she need to make the decision to fight or run in the heat of the moment.

"Severus?" Fear weaved its way through her tone, extending her wand out in front of her, walking towards the kitchen where she could only imagine he had gone. Pushing open the door she stepped through the threshold lowering he wand a touch.

"Severus?" Hermione pushed gently as she padded into the kitchen nervously. The man stooped low over some papers on the kitchen table, eyes darting quickly from side to side with purpose. He stiffened slightly and sat up to look at her intently his back cracking into place.

"Mmmm?" he hummed at her in question, eyes red and bleary from lack of sleep and reading over the papers in a bid to move his, no, their lives forward. He really needed to get this store running sooner rather than later now he knew he was to be a father and the responsibility of a tiny human was going to be thrust upon him unceremoniously.

"You're back and you didn't even bother to come and tell me?" She pocketed her wand and folded her arms over her chest attempting to glower at him angrily and without approval but it just looked like she was about to cry.

"I'm sorry." He threw her a quick half apologetic look before looking back to his paperwork.

"Where did you go?" She demanded, arms still folded and foot tapping hard on the old wooden floorboards.

"Business." He shrugged.

"Business?" She echoed back not at all believing him.

"Indeed." Raising a brow at her almost challenging her to keep on questioning him.

She rounded behind him and rested chin on his shoulder looking at the papers with a piqued interest.

"What are you they?" She asked inquisitively as she scanned the papers within his clutch. Sighing deeply he put the papers on the table and ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"I really need to get this done. Paperwork for the shop," He grumbled, reaching a hand around behind him he clutched her own with his and pulled her gently into his lap.

"Is it really that important?" She cocked her head to the side, chocolate brown eyes melting into black inky ones.

"It is. We have a child coming for Merlin sake. This wasn't something I was prepared for, not right at the moment anyway and the urgency to get this shop running with some security and income behind us is what we really need now and short of me crawling back through the doors of Hogwarts and groveling to Minerva, this is my only opportunity to provide for the family I never thought I would ever have but have somehow ended up with."

He dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead, her arms snaked around his neck in response, burying her head into his shoulder and inhaling the scent that mingled on his robes.

"Severus?" she whispered against his shoulder whisper quiet, his ears strained to pick up her soft voice.

"Yes?"

"I'm scared." She inhaled sharply against him, stiffening slightly in his embrace.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified, actually." His pale hand swiped lovingly at her mass of brown, bushy curls in a comforting way.

The silence between them hung thick in the air.

"This is new for the both of us, Hermione. It would be strange if we weren't petrified of what will happen. Scared of how we will raise a functioning and normal human being when we ourselves are so broken and fucked up that we can barely function ourselves. We were both victims of unfortunate circumstances and had we both walked different paths we most likely wouldn't be here right now. We just need to take each day as it comes and climb each hurdle as it is thrown at us. You might be scared now and have a million thoughts, feelings and emotions running through your head but I promise this will get better. In a few years, you will look back on this and all the hurdles you have overcome and you will wonder what all the worrying was for."

"I know, that things will work out." She sobbed softly against his robes. "Logically my brain knows things will be fine but the deep down niggling feel in the pit of my stomach says otherwise. We can't raise a child in this house, no offense."

He snorted. "None taken. But we will fix it up and it will be just like new…"

"Or we can move into my house."

"And where will your parent's live?"

"You know my parents are in Australia. They aren't coming back." A heart-wrenching sob tore from her lithe frame and he held her tightly.

"You never know…" he trailed off in deep thought. If only she knew.

 **A/N: Sorry for the slow update! I have just been so busy lately. I am trying to get this story finished a.s.a.p. and plan to have it done before the new year (I hope) this is just a little filler chapter for you all.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	25. Chapter 25

Hermione had been suspicious of Severus after the days he had returned home. She felt as if he were different, but a ghost of the man she knew and loved and she knew and she knew it was because of her. If she hadn't had been so stupid and remembered to take a contraceptive potion then she wouldn't be in this situation right now. But then again, how many girls would plan on ending up with their Potions Professor in a more than platonic way? Exactly, none.

While her actions were stupid and she kept beating herself up over it, she could hardly turn back time... Well, maybe she could but she didn't think it wise to meddle with time, not now, anyway.

Every morning Severus would spring from bed, kiss her gently on the cheek, dress and leave. Hermione had cornered him one afternoon on his return and demanded to know where he was and why he was leaving her. The devil flickering behind her eyes told Severus that perhaps he might be in danger of a tongue lashing at the least and a clip around the ear at worst.

He had assured her it was nothing to worry about at all and had managed to defuse the situation after she had basically accused him of running off with another woman. He had to laugh at that one, he was lucky to have the one woman in his life, let alone push his luck and find another.

So, on the eighth morning, Severus had disappeared, Hermione was ready and waiting to follow him. With stealthy finesse, she followed him, one tentative step after the other, senses overdrive trying to work out her next move. It wasn't easy to keep up with Severus Snape's brisk pace, especially when you were trying to go undetected. Many a time she had found herself darting behind a brick wall or ducking behind a hedge, it wasn't long before he had stopped, looked left and right before turning up a dirty back alley and apparating away, leaving her standing there, none the wise to where he had gone.

Giving up she threw her hands in the air, sighing haughtily and heading back home. She had an appointment at St Mungo's to attend and being pregnant, she didn't want to risk splinching the baby so had to travel by Floo, which was cumbersome and annoying but it was for the best.

Prior to getting pregnant, she didn't honestly realize how many pre-natal appointments one must attend, she felt as if she spent more time at appointments than at home. She also thought that the person she was having a child with would be by her side at all of these appointments, stroking her hair and telling her everything would all be okay when she was scared and thwarting all of her fears, and so far, her well thought out plans in her head had been little more than a fairy tale.

She had soured her own mood thinking about him the whole walk back. He was so distant lately and she didn't know why. She knew the whole shift had happened when they had found out she was pregnant so she could only assume he was still with her under sufferance and under the guise of showing the world he was doing the right thing by not abandoning the young girl, barely into womanhood who was pregnant with his spawn.

She had stepped ever so softly into the fireplace and threw down her floo powder, feeling the all too familiar sensation of being pulled into a vortex, blinking rapidly as the bright lights of the stark hospital met her gaze. Stepping out into the waiting room she dusted off her clothes, not even a person in the room lifted their gaze to meet her, obviously so used to someone manifesting from a fireplace it wasn't even worth their notice.

Just as she went to take her seat, she noticed a flurry of black robes whip past the door and out of sight. A raised eyebrow was all she could muster up. Surely it wasn't him she thought to herself as she strode with purpose to the door, peering precariously around the wall only to see his black robes whip out of sight once more. Could she have honestly been any luckier to end up at the same place he was? Time to continue her sleuthing.

With ninja-like finesse and agility, she tip-toed after him for a few hundred meters as he turned one corner, then another. She looked at the signs above as she went, she had walked this path once or twice before when she had come with Harry and Ron on occasion and Neville on others to visit his parents. He didn't want to go alone and Hermione wanted to be there for him.

Why was Severus heading down this way? She knew the ward for long-term patients was down here, often those who had lost their memories and she knew that he certainly wouldn't be down here for Neville's parents or Gilderoy Lockhart. As well as the magical maladies and reversals unit.

Her breath caught in her throat and tears pricked at her eyes, was this where he had been coming daily? What was here that he had to lie to her about? She felt broken and upset, angry that he had never told her. Was she not worthy of knowing any of his information and whereabouts? Did he have to lie to her because he was ashamed of her or because he hated her with such intensity in his heart for bearing him an heir that he had just given up on her?

She watched as he turned left into the magical maladies unit as she followed in hot purist. The door shutting behind him with a resonating thud. Her hand hovered over the door handle for a moment. Did she want to know who he was visiting or what he was doing? What was so important that he felt the need to hide her from it? Was she ready to confront him and face whatever, or whoever it was that he was visiting here? She nibbled harshly on her bottom lip, maybe she was jumping the gun here too, maybe this wasn't where he was coming, maybe he was just delivering a potion, Afterall, she knew he brewed particular potions for the hospital.

Her heart beat in her chest like a tribal drum, she could turn now on her heel and leave and pretend none of this happened, or she could follow him and find out once and for all what he was up to. Was she ready to face what might be on the other side of this door? The question she had to ask herself was could she handle what was on the other side? Maybe he had a long-lost lover he was reconnecting with.

She inhaled a deep, shuddery breath, her hand shaking on the handle as she pushed it open and stepped in. The ward was deathly quiet, she could hear her own heart beating in a rapid manner, pushing her blood around her body ten-fold. A nurse looked up and gave her a small, meek smile and then went about her business.

Hermione actually had no idea where he was or what room he would be in she slowly began to walk the long hallway, room after room of sad, empty looking people staring back at her as she peered in, their eyes almost pleading with her to help them. She tried to push the harsh images to the back of her head when she heard him, his voice. Her palms began to sweat, her heart beating even harder. Was this stupid? Was he going to be upset with her that she had followed him? Part of her knew she shouldn't do this but the other part of her needed to know what he was doing.

Blinking quickly, she closed her eyes, stepped into the room not exactly sure what to expect. She opened her eyes just in time to see Severus turn towards her, mouth agape as he tried to stumble for something to say.

The two other people in the room blinking rapidly at her with deep regard and wonder. Her breath hitched in her throat and she began to shake before she burst into tears falling hard to her knee's. She never thought she would see them again, she never thought she would be in the same room as them.

"Hermione?" The woman whispered as she stepped tentatively closer to the weeping girl on the floor.

"Mum?" Hermione sniffed through a deluge of tears as the thin woman looked down at her with deep affection in her eyes.

"Severus?" Hermione choked out as if waiting for an explanation. He knelt down before her, taking both of her soft, white hands in his bony calloused ones.

"When I went away for that week and never told you where I was going... I went to get your parents. I couldn't marry you without at least trying. I know it would have meant the world to you to have them at your wedding, to have them back in your life. I managed to almost reverse the memory charm you put on them, and it wasn't easy. They remember for the most part but there are still something's they forget but daily, daily the healers are breaking down the walls and healing them."

She looked at him with adoration in her eyes as she lunged forward, he managed to catch her in her arms and balance the two of them in the precarious position.

"No one has ever done anything like this for me," She sniffled into his robes.

"I wanted it to be a secret, I wanted to bring them to you when they were fully healed, I knew you were getting angrier by the day and your over-active imagination probably had you placing me in the bed of another woman but that was the furthest thing from the truth."

"What do they remember?" She whispered into his robes, almost inaudible.

"They know you are their daughter, they remember me as your professor from school, they remember Harry and Ron but they don't remember much else... They don't know of your magical capabilities and we really need those thoughts to come back sooner if you were to tell them or show them you could shock them enough that they revert to their previous memory loss."

All Hermione could manage was a whispered thank you, as he brought them both to their feet.

Hermione was never, ever going to be able to repay him. Not now, not ever.

 **A/N: Just a little filler chapter, getting closer to the end now... Trying to do my best at the moment after my muse went on an adventure and didn't take me with it, so some chapters...I may not do them justice.**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	26. Chapter 26

Hermione's mother watched the exchange between her daughter and the older man behind hooded eyes with heightened interest. They seemed way too close for a professor and a student, and her mother, for the most part, felt a little uncomfortable at the small but blatant exchange of affection between the two of them.

"Hermione?" Her mother managed to peep out meekly, almost inaudible as her mind moved at the haste of a galloping wild horse trying to make ends of what she was seeing. Her mind ticking over like a well maintained swiss watch. Her memory may be hazy, and she might be forgetting a few things, but a fool she was not.

"Yes?" Hermione got to her feet, gently smoothing her clothes back into place, smile now plastered on her face. She really couldn't believe this.

"How's Harry and Ron?" Her mother managed to ask as she sat down on one of the hospital beds, Hermione followed and sat beside her gently.

Harry and Ron are... Harry and Ron are not the people I thought they were. Ron wanted things that I didn't at the time and he wouldn't wait for me so I left him and Harry, well Harry turned out to be-" She was cut off by Severus.

"A total and utter bell end if I must say."

"What Severus said." Hermione inclined her head in Severus direction, approving of what he had just said.

Hermione's father watched with interest from where he stood. He wasn't stupid, he could see there was clearly something more than a platonic relationship going on between the two.

"I'm confused. I thought Harry and Ron were lovely boys. Truth be known, I thought you and Harry would have ended up together," her mother interjected sadly. She really did like Harry and Ron.

Hermione snorted indignantly, "So did Harry." She shrugged.

"So, who are you with?" Her mother asked with trepidation in her voice. She knew, she had to know and she just wanted confirmation.

"Who says I am with anyone? Why do I need to be with someone?" Hermione asked in an offended upward inflection to which her mother pinned her under her harsh gaze. She knew better.

"So, you expect me to believe that you aren't with anyone right now, despite the fact you and Severus were just looking way too close for more than a platonic student and teacher relationship? Pray tell me, how does my young, adolescent daughter get tangled up in a romantic tryst with her professor? Isn't there some code of conduct that is meant to be followed?" Her mother grew irate with every word she spoke.

"Mum," Hermione's tone was even but bore a warning.

"What? I have a right to know." Her mother folded her arms tight across her chest and looked across at Hermione, jutting her chin out and it was at that moment Severus realize where Hermione got most of her mannerisms and strong-headed attitude from.

Brushing a hand over her face and tucking a stray hair behind her own ear Hermine took in a long breath and released it hastily as a loud, annoyed sigh as she looked to Severus for some backup who, by the look on his face probably wasn't about to offer it.

"When you and dad went to Australia and I was left here... Things changed. Harry and Ron became somewhat idolized over something that happened … And long story short they both pretty much turned into huge jerks. I went back to school and they decided they wouldn't come with me so I went alone. They ignored me for months and months without even as much as a letter back. I later found out that Ron had gone on to marry another girl who went to school with us and I wasn't even invited to the wedding." She shrugged her shoulders, trying to push the feeling of hurt she felt away but it was gnawing away at her with the ferocity of a million piranhas.

"I'm still not understanding what this has to do with you and Severus?"

"I'm getting there, trust me. So, while Ron and Harry were being total bell ends to me and I felt like I didn't have a friend in the world, Severus found me, picked me up and brushed me off and made me feel as if someone in the world cared. As if I meant something to someone. Now you and dad weren't around and I was pretty much totally alone. Without Severus, I don't know if I would be here. One thing led to another and now... Well, I love Severus. Mum, Dad I am sorry if you don't approve but I am old enough to make my own choices in life." She harrumphed, standing she began to pace the length of the room backwards and forwards like a caged lion, waiting to hear something, anything from either of her parents. The awkward silence shrouded them like thick fog on a freezing winter morning and she thought that right here and right now would be the moment her parents disowned her over something so trivial.

"So Ron married, Harry wanted to be with you and you rejected him, Severus comforted you in your time of need and showered you with affection and you climbed into his bed so willingly and now after all of that he confessed his undying love to you and you accepted his proposal to marry him, despite not wanting to Marry either Harry or Ron when they offered?" It was her mother's turn to pull herself up to full height and fold her arms tightly across her chest, she was the same height as her daughter and not at all intimidating.

"Well, actually it pretty much went like that, but how did you know about Severus asking me to marry him... How did you know Ron and Harry both asked?" Hermione ran a shaky hand through her mess of curls that hung limply around her face.

"The ring on your finger, Hermione. And I know the friendship between the two boys would have ended over something rather big rather than something so minuscule. I am betting they now know about Severs and neither of them approves and thus you have pushed them further away and have no intentions of reconciliation."

"Oh, right." Hermione blushed, looking sheepish. She never thought of that to be honest. "And yes, they don't approve... Their choice. I extended the branch of friendship out to them only for my efforts to be thwarted."

Hermione began to pace again under the scrutinous gaze of her mother. "And when did you plan on telling me you were pregnant?"

Hermione came to a skidding halt as the rosy colour drained from her face in an instant and her stomach had turned into a lead weight that was now in her feet.

"How...I...What..." She began stammering, tripping over her own words as she went, her mouth as dry as the desert and she found it hard to even form any words with her tongue now void of any moisture.

"Unless you have been to an all you can eat buffet recently, I can see no other reason why your midsection has expanded substantially. The glow in your cheeks I had with myself when I was pregnant with you." Her mother smiled like the cat that got the canary, she liked being right. She was her mother, she knew things about Hermione that Hermione wouldn't even know about herself.

"I'm going. I've had enough of playing twenty questions I love you both, I will be back to see you shortly," Hermione called over her shoulder as she started walking about of the room. She needed to get to her appointment and she was already running late.

O-O-O-O-O

Days had passed and Hermione didn't know how to feel, she loved her parents but they had been on her case ever since they had found out about her and Severus. Constantly at her about the who's what's where's and when's of their relationship. She was thankful they were back and she was ecstatic that they had fully had their memories restored and she could talk to them in full about things now. Her mother whilst she didn't say it, always looked at him with a disappointed look in the depths of her eyes, like she was silently judging her daughter for who she was marrying and who she had gotten herself pregnant too. But her mother knew it was her choice, and her choice alone so while deep down she wouldn't approve of it, she would keep those feelings and concerns locked away.

Hermione decided that it was time to put the effort into fixing this house up because before she knew it, the baby would be here and she would have nothing and be totally unprepared, and that scared her. So, to take her mind off of everything that was going one in her life, she began scrubbing, sorting and cleaning the house, starting with her and Severus's bedroom. With the help of a little magic, she had the entire bedroom painted, decorated and brand-new furniture in within a day.

The night Severus had come home he was almost certain he had walked into the wrong bedroom and it wasn't long before Hermione had the entire house fixed and looking immaculate thanks to herself and her desire to be more than prepared for the baby.

The last room she was left with was the nursery and the thought of fixing it really ate at her. To her, doing this would make it real and she couldn't ignore the fact she was going to be a mother. She wanted to put it off but the voice in the back of her mind constantly nagged at her to do it. By the end, she was beaming like the Cheshire cat. She had chosen greys and blues, unsure of the gender of the baby she played it safe and didn't add any hints of pink or peach.

She couldn't believe it was finally done and she was actually going to be bringing a newborn home to the room and it wouldn't be that long before it was going to happen either.

Severus had been out every day preparing his store and working just as hard as Hermione had been on the house and he was only days from opening. He looked around the store full of potions, vials and boxes upon boxes of ingredients. Was this a stupid idea? Should he just sell the store right now before it was even open and cut his losses. This honestly scared him more than the thought of being a father in the not too distant future. He had to do this, it was now or never. As his eyes raked over the store once more before he shut the door for the night. Maybe, just maybe he would face his fears and his demons head on and open tomorrow, after all, the only thing getting in the way of his goals was ultimately himself.

And the only thing left to do in his life was marrying the girl that had brought all of this to fruition. The one who had helped him through his darkest times and the one that had pulled him from the deepest and most hopeless depths a person could be in. And he, of course, had pulled her from the deep depths of despair, they both needed one another and he loved her with all of his heart. He didn't want an extravagant wedding by any means and it was right there as he was making his way home, to the home his wife-to-be had spent hours upon hours perfecting for the two of them that he would marry her, sooner rather than later.

O-O-O-O-O

"Hermione?" The rumble of his voice startled Hermione as she had almost drifted off into a peaceful slumber upon his chest that night.

"Mmm?" She managed to hum through the tiredness that was encroaching upon her, pregnancy really wasn't all it was made out to be. She hated it if she were honest.

"I was thinking, we should get married."

She cracked an eye open in the darkness and furrowed a brow. "I thought we were already getting married?" She propped herself up on an elbow, staring at him through the inky darkness, just making out his form lying before her.

"I meant let's get married now. Well, not right this second but sooner rather than later." He stared at her silhouette in the moonlight. She was perfect in any light, he thought to himself.

"A wedding takes months to plan Severus I-" He cut her off as his lips pressed needily to hers, a breathless, passionate kiss ensued for what Hermione could only imagine was a minute or so.

"Let's elope, Hermione. Let's just go out on our own and do this. Tell only your parents and just do this. No audience, no being on show like a caged animal for all to see and sneer at, no snide remarks made behind our backs." He held her hand gently as if willing her and pleading with her to agree.

Silence shrouded them for what felt like an eternity to Hermione, bearing down on her like a hard blow to the stomach.

"Oh, thank god," she finally managed to bite out. "Getting married in front of an audience was honestly my worst nightmare." she sighed contently, her life was going ahead in leaps and bounds right now and if you had have asked her a year ago if this is where she saw herself, she probably would have laughed straight in your face.

"It's settled then. Elope we will."

 **A/N: This story has honestly gone about ten chapters over what I thought I would get out of it. I am so thankful for all of your reviews. I think this chapter, another and then an epilogue and we are done (Although I think I said that ten chapters ago so... don't mind me.)**

 **-Aliasmel1**


	27. Epilogue

She smiled broadly as she let out air through her nose, a breath she had been holding for much too long. This was it, this was the day she would no longer be Hermione Granger, instead, she would be Hermione Snape. Married to the man she never thought she would ever even remotely like, let alone agreeing to take his last name. The world moved in mysterious ways.

She smoothed a soft palm over the cloth covering her expanding midsection, growing the small child within her that the two of them created together, quickly coming to terms with the small being growing within her and she had to admit, she was not just a little bit excited. A new chapter in her life, no, in their life.

Her auburn hair with ringlets cascading down her back as the late afternoon sun played in her locks joyfully. The white of her simple dress giving a little colour to her rosy cheeks. The plunging neckline allowing the heat of the quickly vanishing sun to kiss her skin gently.

Her hand tangled with Severus's as they stood in the forest of Dean, the silence only being broken by a flutter of bird wings or the snapping of a twig in the distance. The two did choose to elope, as far away as possible from prying eyes. The last thing Hermione wanted was the be splashed across the front of the Daily Prophet for marrying the man she loved and having it twisted and skewed into a story so far from the truth it was laughable.

Draco had offered them the Manor in which to wed, but Hermione quickly knocked that idea on the head faster than Ron could make it to the great hall at mealtime. She thanked Draco for his amazing and generous offer, but it wasn't for her. Not only did she loathe Narcissa with every fibre of hatred coursing through her veins, she just couldn't see herself in such a place marred by so many terrible memories.

Her mother and father were here, albeit grudgingly. Whilst they had come to terms with not only her love for the snarky and dour Potions Maters, the large age gap and the fact Harry and Ron were total arses, but they also wouldn't lie when they said the prospect of a grandchild was titillating. They had always wondered if Hermione would give them a grandbaby, or if she would be too involved in her studies and then career to give them one, so the had to thank Severus for that at least.

Draco was here too, of course. Out of all the people in the entire world, she would have never thought Draco Malfoy would be standing there watching her marry Severus Snape. She didn't think she would ever see herself marrying Severus Snape and it was at this moment she realised the world really did work in the most mysterious ways.

Draco had become her friend, not in the same way Harry and Ron were her friends, or even in the same capacity or with the same intimacy. She was still wary of him, Afterall he wasn't the most pleasant person to her over the course of her life, but she could see he had turned over a new page in his book of morals and decency and was fast becoming one of her favourite people. Who needed Harry and Ron when you had an amazing friend like Draco? He had honestly gone above and beyond lately with the fully supporting her choice to quickly elope and showing up at a moment's notice, to entertaining her when Severus spent long nights at the shop he had recently opened, right through to just being there and listening to her pregnant rants about everything.

But most of all, the thing that she loved the most was that they could both sit down and talk about all of the stupid things about Harry and Ron and she felt she finally had someone on her side. In fact, Draco showed much enthusiasm and glee in their trash talking sessions and she knew that is what cemented the bond of their friendship.

Sure, she still missed Harry and Ron, and she always would, and they would always be a huge part of her life. She still loved them both platonically of course, in the way really good friends did and she would always be open to having them come back into her life, in fact, she would love that, but she wasn't going to chase them anymore. She was in a great place right now, she had Severus and Draco, her parents were back, and she wasn't far off giving birth to her first child. Life was good and drama, she didn't need that.

Hermione had chosen the forest of Dean because she knew how secluded it was and she knew that having it here would invoke memories of Harry and Ron and that they would somehow be part of her day even if just in the smallest way. She had come to peace now and held no grudges against them and she could only hope that one day, they would come to realise what they were missing out on and make peace with her, but she wouldn't hold her breath.

An official from the Ministry stood just in front of Severus and Hermione. Severus had sworn he would hex him to death if he even as much as breathed a single word of what he had done today to anyone. A worried look had crossed the officials face as a glint of malicious crept into Severus's gaze and Hermione knew she wouldn't have to worry about word of this getting out to anyone anytime soon.

The official, a short, greying portly man clapped his hands together, the sound reverberating and echoing through the forest loudly. "Let's get started," The man spoke slowly, nervousness edging into his voice, the apparent fear of Severus was palpable, and Hermione could only stifle a small giggle, now that she had spent so much time with Severus, she found this hard to see his scary side anymore.

Severus gently took her hand, the warmth of her skin welcoming to his sense. A small jolt ran up his arm and he hoped he felt as in love with her every day for the rest of his life as he did right now in this situation. He smiled a genuine smile, broad and proud. For once in his life he was truly happy.

A business, a wife, and a child on the way, could he be any luckier? All the galleons on the world couldn't replace any of this right now, or ever. The dour, evil and snarky Potions Master was finally getting a second chance in life, a shot at happiness. Sweet serendipity.

He was so enthralled in his thoughts and staring lovingly at Hermione that he almost missed exactly what the official had said, he shook his head and brought himself back to reality and managed to smoothly say, "I do."

The official turned to Hermione who looked as if she might cry right now, tears of joy and asked her if she would take Severus as her husband. She could only beam and shake her head yes.

The two exchanged rings, shakily. This was it, there was no turning back now, not that Severus wanted to, he mused as the precious metal slid easily on her finger.

"You are now husband and wife," The official choked out before bowing low, stepping back and apparating. He couldn't wait to get out of there.

Hermione shrugged as Severus stepped closer to her, a slender index finger tracing its way across the warm cheek in the darkening evening, pushing a stray hair from her cheek he leant down just so, his lips capturing hers. He kissed her like it was the last kiss he may ever get off her, he kissed her like he needed to taste her lips for survival.

Her parents awkwardly turned away, the tree's becoming very interesting right about now and Draco clapped and cheered with vigour which caused Hermione to smile against Severus's lips and then snort in a very undignified manner against him.

"I love you, Severus Snape," she whispered softly.

"And I you, Hermione Snape." He almost had to pinch himself, he always thought his wretched last name would die with him, but here he was now, just having given it to Hermione and soon to his child. The Snape name would live on, hopefully in a less dramatic and controversial way than it did for most of his life.

o-o-o-o-

The bell overhanging the door to his shop rang briskly as the soft footfalls of someone coming to the counter could be heard. His head snapped up, eye locked with a bushy browned haired girl walking his way. His lips twitched at the corners before becoming a broad and obvious smile. "It's been a while," He drawled as the girl walked closing, her curls bouncing with every step she took towards him.

"It's has been a while," She chirped happily, jumping up onto the edge of the counter and landing soundlessly, swinging her legs around and pushing herself back off into his side.  
"You could have just walked around like a civilised human being," He tutted, bringing the girl into a giant hug.

"I know, but where would be the fun in that?" She questioned, stepping back from the man and beaming up at him.

"Sorry I didn't come back sooner, I wanted to stay at Hogwarts with my friends over Christmas. Professor McGonagall sends her greetings."  
He grumbled under his breath as this statement, time didn't heal all wounds and he still hated her as much now as he did over a decade ago.

"Where's mum?"

"In the back." Severus inclined his head back as he watched his teenage daughter disappear out of sight. He sighed contently and looked around his shop. He had had to expand it twice now, buying out the shops either side of his, business was booming from mothers needing potions ready-made for the children with dragon pox, right down to other Potions Masters needing easy and readily accessible ingredients right through to the unsavoury types looking to deal in highly illegal potions ingredients which he may or may not accommodate…Depends who was asking him.

A squeal from the back brought him from his deep revere, Hermione had just been alerted to the fact their daughter was back, either that or a cauldron had exploded, maybe he should go check… He waited for a moment, straining his hearing, he didn't hear any further screams of agony, so he assumed he was fine to stay here and not go and investigate.

"Aria?!" Hermione exclaimed as she swooped over to her daughter and wrapping her in a huge one-armed hug, a small child with black hair and piercing black eyes babbling softly in her other.

"How are you?" Hermione asked, letting the girl go and thrust her baby brother at her. She took him awkwardly and rested him on her hip.

"How are you, Arkin?" The young girl cooed to her baby brother who screeched in delight.

"He remembers you." Hermione cast a glance at her young daughter whilst she continued to stir the potion she was making. The store was almost out of colic relief potion because it was always flying off the shelves within a day of making it.

"Of course, he remembers me, I'm unforgettable." She tossed her curls over her shoulder and away from the baby who was trying hard to clutch them in her tiny hands.

Hermione rolled her eyes and wondered if she was that vain as a teenager, or if it came from her fathers' genes. And just like that, almost on cue, Severus walked into the back room, his heart almost skipping a beat at the sight of his family all together in front of him.

"Let's say we shut early and go out tonight as a family?" He asked softly, watching the baby still trying to clutch as his sister curls and shrieking in pure delight.

Hermione smiled, "I think that is a great idea." She vanished her cauldron within seconds and took Arkin off her daughter who was having no luck deterring him from trying to pull fistfuls of her hair out.

"Let go," Severus whispered, waiting for his family to walk out before him. He looked around the room and turned out the lights with his wand. Right now, his family was more important than working.

 **-The End.**

A/N: And that's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed and left encouraging comments for this story, I was honestly not expecting the response it got. I was torn between extending it a few more chapters and risk it is getting boring real fast or ending it now… I chose the latter.

The both got their happy ending which is all that I wanted for this story and they are both happy now.

To the person who whinged and said, "All of a sudden Hermione had money to buy new furniture and Severus had money to open a business," I always said through the story Hermione had plenty of money in the bank and Severus had saved enough money to open a business and run it for a while with his savings… Not sure what story you were reading but it probably wasn't this one.

Thank you, everyone… I have plenty of other stories you can read if you feel like it xx

-Aliamel1


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